PEACEPLUS Funding Success for Donegal County Council

The funding for Donegal County Council will support a wide and diverse range of projects, aimed at addressing local challenges and promoting peace and prosperity across the council area. 

This is the third funding announcement under the PEACEPLUS “Co-designed Local Community Action Plans”. In March Derry City & Strabane District Council and Cavan County Council received their PEACEPLUS allocation, and in May, Causeway Coast and Glens Council and Leitrim County Council where awarded their funding. 

All local authorities within Northern Ireland and the border counties will receive PEACEPLUS funding. Each council is required to submit a programme of local investment, aimed at addressing specific local challenges, the plan must be designed in collaboration with residents and organisations within their area, and address specific needs such as local regeneration, building positive relations, and celebrating identity and diversity. 

The Donegal County Council Action Plan will embrace a diverse and intercultural future where people from all backgrounds feel they belong equally and can contribute to their full potential, together. 

The programme will benefit the whole of Donegal including the eastern and most populated  

parts of the County as well as the more rural parts that are less populated but with the greatest socio-economic needs, levels of isolation and exclusion.  

The projects will focus on cross-border collaboration and on equality and inclusion in order to tackle issues arising from the conflict as well as the more recent challenges of inward migration.  

The Plan also includes the creation of 6 co-designed, transformative and sustainable shared spaces, that will facilitate communication, connection, co-operation and interaction among users and stakeholders.  

It is estimated that a total of 7,635 participants will contribute in purposeful, meaningful, and sustained contact with others from different communities, cultural and political backgrounds.

Welcoming the announcement, 

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD said:   

“I am delighted that funding is approved for Donegal County Council, under the PEACEPLUS Programme’s Investment Area 1.1: Co-Designed Local Community PEACE Action Plans. 

"I would like to commend everyone involved in the extensive consultations that were undertaken on the co-design of this marvellous Action Plan.  I am very pleased that my Department is an Accountable Department for this Investment Area and I look forward to supporting these essential plans in each of the local authority areas and working with all parties, including the Special EU Programmes Body and The Executive Office in Northern Ireland, to ensure their delivery for the benefit of all.  

"This will further support local community regeneration while fostering peace and reconciliation within each local authority area by providing this crucial funding and giving local authorities and their communities the authority to select, develop, and carry out cross-community priority projects and activities. 

"I wish every local authority success in their endeavours." 

SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre said: 

“We are delighted to make this announcement. Donegal County Council has developed a diverse programme of work in collaboration with local residents and organisations. This co-design process ensures that the projects we are supporting through the Council’s Action Plan are focused on local challenges and responsive to local needs. I congratulate Donegal County Council for their hard work in developing the programme and their success in securing this funding. I look forward to watching the impact these projects will have at a local level.” 

The PEACEPLUS Programme has been designed to promote peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland, and has a total value of €1.14 billion, to be delivered over the next five years. The Programme will support a wide range of sectors including health and social care, the protection of the environment, rural regeneration, smart towns and villages, local regeneration and mental health services. 

PEACEPLUS is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body and represents a funding partnership between the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive.