Bairbre de Brún leads party delegation to meet Hanson on PEACE III and Structural Funds
Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brún has this morning led a party delegation to meet
with British Direct Rule Minister David Hanson to discuss both the PEACE III
and Structural Funds programmes in the time ahead.
Ms de Brún was
accompanied by party colleagues Cathy Stanton MLA and Seán Oliver, Sinn
Féin All Ireland Co-ordinator.
Speaking after the meeting Ms
de Brún said:
"This morning's meeting was at our request in
order to discuss both the PEACE III and Structural Funds programmes. We
raised our concerns with Mr Hanson with regards to future PEACE funding and
the proposed delivery mechanisms for such funding. Earlier this year the
Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) announced a consultation process on how
they suggest allocation for the future ?267 million PEACE III funds.
"We
stressed to the Minister the centrality of equality and the Section 75 equality
duty. We also pointed to the distinctiveness of the PEACE programme and the
need to ensure that it is additional and not merely co-opted to fund
existing programmes. We told Mr Hanson that we would oppose any narrow
approach to PEACE and Structural Funding that fails to recognise the
importance of the equality, partnership, or all-Ireland
dimensions.
"Through
the PEACE programme, and through its contribution to the International Fund
for Ireland, EU support and involvement has brought considerable benefits to
peace building and reconciliation for more than a decade. We need to build
on these lessons the time ahead." ENDS