UUP MEP disappointed but not surprised that Northern Ireland slips in importance in latest EU Funding Round
Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson expressed his disappointment today that Northern Ireland did not fare as well as it could have in the next round of EU structural funding announced by the DTI Minister, Margaret Hodge in Parliament today.
The Government outlined today how almost £7 billion of European Union regional aid will be allocated over the next seven years to the regions of the UK with Northern Ireland set to receive £281 million of structural funding between 2007 - 2013 compared with the £600 million it received from 2000 – 2006.
Speaking from Strasbourg Mr Nicholson said,
“It is disappointing, but not surprising that Northern Ireland has not fared as well in this current round of EU funding as it has in the past. A number of factors have worked against us, not least the absence of a locally elected, devolved administration capable of putting our Province’s case in London and Brussels.
“As EU enlargement moves eastward taking in those countries formerly under the iron curtain, so does funding, meaning that Northern Ireland is no longer eligible for objective one status or for as much EU money.
“On a more positive note, on top of today’s announcement Northern Ireland is still set to receive almost £450 million of EU funding for PEACE 3, future territorial cooperation programmes and for the International Fund for Ireland. So whilst the amount of EU funding coming to Northern Ireland has reduced, it is still funding nonetheless and instead of looking at the glass empty, we should be looking at it as half full.
“The priority over the coming months is to look to the future and ensure that this money is spent wisely and targeted where it is really needed. Structural funds in Northern Ireland have not had the impact; they could have over the years, largely because they were seen by the treasury as a way to offset some of the already planned transfers to Northern Ireland.
“In line with the Lisbon agenda, a bigger slice of EU funding in Northern Ireland must be spent on research and development. Doing so is important for improving innovation and increasing productivity, not just in pushing forward the technological frontier but in building and driving forward a sustainable, knowledge driven economy with better jobs, a well skilled work force and greater social cohesion.
“The levels of new patent registrations and spending on research and development are the real measures of entrepreneurship and innovation in society and sadly Northern Ireland is significantly lagging in both.”