Strategic Projects

The Ireland Wales Experience

INTERACT – Rome, November 10th 2011

Ireland Wales Programme Area

Priority 1Knowledge, Innovation and

Skills for Growth

Theme 1 – Innovation and competitiveness

Theme 2 – Skills for competitiveness and employment integration

Priority 2Climate Change and Sustainable

Regeneration

Theme 1 – Climate Change and Sustainable Development

Theme 2 – Sustainable Regeneration of Communities

Programme Focus

Programme Budget

ERDF Grant €52.7 million Match Funding €17.6 million Total Budget €70.3 million

Max 75% grant for BOTH Irish and Welsh project partners

Ireland Wales – Call by Call Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Strategic

RoundRound 4 Round 5

Applications Received

14 28 13 3 21 17

Applications Approved

6 12 5 2 9 TBD – Nov ‘11

ERDF Applied for per Round

€18m approx.

€35m approx.

€12m approx.

€10m approx.

€13.7m approx.

€23m approx.

ERDF Committed

€6.21m €16.6m €4.7m €6.2m €9m TBD – Nov ‘11

ERDF Remaining

€43.3m €26.7m €23m €16.8m €7.9m Anticipated€200k

Ireland Wales – Latest Position

Total Programme budget (ERDF) €52.7m

Max. grant rate 75%

% of budget committed to date 85%

No. of approved projects to date 33 (4 calls)

No. of Irish organisations involved in approved projects

33 projects with IE partners, 8 IE lead

Total no. of calls for proposals to date 5

Any open calls for proposals? 5th call closed, decisions expected November 2011

Further calls for proposals expected? No

Strategic Call – Why?

1. Respond to need for greater strategic impact in Cohesion Policy

2. Assist with meeting N+2

Strategic Projects – What

Aim for increased impact, influence and visibility Leave a legacy beyond the life of the programme Achieve a balance between top-down and bottom-

up approaches Additional set of criteria/conditions

Strategic Call – Criteria

Highly developed levels of cross border cooperation Clear relevance with the Programme’s Priorities and

Themes Strategic impact beyond the life of the Ireland Wales

funding Originality – It represents a chance to shape discussions

regarding policy development in areas directly relevant to the programme.

Ability to commence operations speedily and spend to profile from the beginning

Strategic Projects – How

1. Exploratory discussion with PMC (January 2010)2. Background research by JTS (February 2010) 3. Detailed discussion with the PSC (March 2010) 4. Detailed proposal sent to the PMC (April 2010) 5. Agreement to launch a Strategic Call (April 2010)

Strategic Projects – Generation

Development Officers Standard Communication Channels Intense levels of support pre-submission ‘Normal’ call launched in 2010 also

Strategic Call – Process

Call Launched – April 23rd 2010 Call Closed – May 21st 2010 Applications Received – 3 Applications selected by PMC June 16th Applications selected – 2 Projects started – July/August 2010

Strategic Call – Appraisal

Similar to main calls but with some changes Comply with Strategic conditions Core selection criteria only Projects selected by PMC not Steering Committee Other parts of process remain the same

Winning In Tendering

Partners – Bangor University, Dublin City University, IIPMM

Total Cost €3.74 million Total ERDF Grant €2.54 million Timeline 08/2010 – 12/2013 Website http://www.youtube.com/user/winintendering

Winning In Tendering

'Winning in Tendering' (WIT) is a strategic project aimed at transforming the public tendering experience of SME’s in Ireland and Wales. WIT will address skill gaps of SME’s (&public procurers) which inhibit the region's competitiveness & sustainable development via unique, innovative & complementary targeted interventions.

Smart Coasts

Partners – Aberystwyth University, University College Dublin

Total Cost €4.35 million Total ERDF Support €3.27 million Timeline 07/10-06/13 Website www.smartcoasts.eu

Smart Coasts

The core aim is to equip Irish and Welsh communities to maintain the economic and strategic value of near-shore waters to their economies. This will be done by facilitating application of new real-time management systems, first suggested by WHO and soon to be allowed within EU Directive criteria.

Strategic Projects – Latest

Conditions broadly complied with External and internal challenges re quick spend Strategic doesn’t just mean big Subject to close JTS/MA monitoring Optimistic regarding outputs, results, impacts Can only judge success at a later date New regulations allow time to consider next move