2.6 National Strategic Reference Framework
In accordance with Article 27 of the General Regulation, each Member State is required to prepare a National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) consistent with the Lisbon Strategy which ensures that assistance from the Funds is in harmony with the Community Strategic Guidelines on Cohesion and which identifies the link between Community priorities and the National Reform Programme. The NSRF for Ireland which has been prepared by the Department of Finance and approved by the Irish Government outlines the strategic orientation for Cohesion Policy, and the strategy for allocating the available funding through the selected Operational Programmes under the Regional Competitiveness and Employment objective. During the preparation of the NSRF, the Regional Assembly was consulted to ensure consistency of approach in formulating the niche strategy. The NSRF provides an overarching structure for the OPs and ensure consistency with Community and national policies.
The strategic objective of the NSRF, is to complement the investment priorities being pursued under the NDP by focusing on niche priorities in line with the Community Strategic Guidelines, ESF/ERDF Regulations and consistent with the recommendations contained in the Ex-Ante Evaluation conducted by the Economic and Social Research Institute on the NDP 2007-2013, the two Regional foresight studies conducted and the extensive consultation process undertaken to prepare the NSRF.
Chapter 4 of the NSRF sets out the strategic priorities for Ireland under the EU Cohesion Policy for the period 2007-13, and for the ERDF this is targeted at two thematic priorities as follows:
innovation, knowledge and entrepreneurship; and
strengthening the competitiveness and connectivity of the Gateways and Hubs through improved access to quality infrastructure and environmental and sustainable development.
Under the first priority, the NSRF identifies that interventions should be developed to support the implementation of the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006-2013. Working in a complementary manner with the NDP 2007-2013 the measures should be designed to focus on improving the capacity of Higher Education Institutes to undertake research, and in the development of Incubation centres.
It states that regional strategies should concentrate on investing in RTD, innovation and entrepreneurship, applied research and technology transfer infrastructure, ensuring that these investments respond to the economic development needs of the region. This can be done by enhancing technology transfer and knowledge exchange; promoting the development, dissemination and uptake of ICTs within firms, and ensuring that enterprises willing to invest in high added value goods and services have access to finance, including venture capital.
It also recommends that interventions be designed to focus on Micro-Enterprise Innovation and Entrepreneurship using the existing County Enterprise Boards as suitable bodies for promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in the Regions. The interventions should be designed in consultation with Enterprise Ireland to ensure a consistent national approach.
The NSRF also suggests that the Operational Programmes should consider interventions that stimulate demand for Broadband, and where appropriate and feasible, interventions that provide the service in areas where a clear market failure exists. Under the second priority, the NSRF recommends that the two Regional OPs should design interventions that will address, in a niche and complementary manner to the NDP 2007-2013, those priorities that enhance the attractiveness of the Gateways and Hubs in their Regions. Interventions should concentrate on:
-
integrated urban development, including physical and social regeneration;
-
addressing quality of life issues and making cities and towns more attractive for investment;
-
supporting investments in public transport; and
-
strengthening the accessibility of the wider regions to gateways/hubs and inter-gateway/hub accessibility.
The NSRF further recommends that interventions be designed in order to achieve synergies with the NDP 2007-2013 and the Rural Development Fund and other appropriate policy initiatives that may be eligible for support from the EU budget over the course of the 2007 to 2013 funding round, in strengthening the quality of the environment in the Regions, especially measures designed to provide and protect water sources for drinking and improve environmental management in the Regions.
The NSRF also recognises that production of energy from renewable sources along with energy efficiency and conservation measures make a positive environmental contribution by protecting existing environmental assets and decreasing reliance on other harmful energy sources. It therefore recommends that interventions should be designed to promote increased use of renewable sources of energy to help reduce Ireland's dependency on fossil fuels, reduce CO2 emissions and promote a cleaner environment.
The NSRF outlines the value added that has been gained from the structural funds programmes in Ireland to date and which will continue under the next programming round. These have included the multi-annual programming approach, the focus on priority interventions aligned with clearly defined EU and national objectives, the strengthening of programme monitoring, evaluation and project appraisal mechanisms, exploration of innovative approaches e.g., area-based, and pilot initiatives. A particular focus of the 2007-13 programming period will be on niche interventions that complement and provide demonstration effects for mainstream NDP initiatives.
The strategic objectives and proposed interventions of this OP are fully consistent with the NSRF. They also complement the policies set out in the Community Strategic Guidelines and respond in a focused manner to the economic and social challenges facing the BMW Region, as identified in the regional socio-economic analysis (see Chapter 3). The Foresight Report of the BMW Regional Assembly identifies the key challenges to be addressed if the BMW Region is to meet its developmental objectives. However, the level of ERDF funding for the next round for the Region is modest in the overall context of addressing all of these issues. The challenge for this Operational Programme is to focus on those niche interventions that will add greatest value and maximise the impact on achieving these goals, within the framework set out in the NSRF. It must also be recognised that the 2007-2013 National Development Plan for Ireland will address many of these priorities.
The Square
Ballaghaderreen
Co Roscommon
Phone 00 353 (0) 94 986 2970
Contact Us
