Local Enterprise Development Priority (Sub-Programme)

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5.5 Co-operation with Northern Ireland

Considerable opportunity exists within the Local Enterprise Development Priority for the advancement of North/South co-operation through the mutual fostering of business and employment growth. Within the tourism sector, the branding of Tourism Ireland is already in place and operates on an all Island basis. In addition, under the BMW Regional OP a particular focus of the Tourism Measures will be the development of clusters of attractors in less developed areas such as the north-west and the Border areas. Projects in these areas which have a cross-Border dimension will be particularly encouraged. The Angling Sub-measure offers additional opportunities for co-operation on cross-Border tourism and recreational angling projects. Specifically, the development of tourism angling is part of the brief of the cross-Border Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission (FCILC), in relation to both the Foyle and Carlingford areas, and it is expected that project applications will be made by that body over the term of the Plan. There is also scope for the Regional Fisheries Boards to undertake projects either with the FCILC or the Fisheries Conservation Board in Northern Ireland.

The Forestry Measure will encourage North/South co-operation among the beneficiaries of each Sub-measure, with particular emphasis on the development of cross Border urban and amenity afforestation, semi-native woodlands, new technology, aid to associations, harvesting and forest road infrastructure.

Arising from the British Irish Act, 1999, the establishment of the Trade and Business Development Body offers a new opportunity for supporting the development of enterprise and trade on a North/South basis. This is an important development in this context for the Micro-Enterprises Measure. Of course, much existing co-operation is already taking place, and equally, it is for enterprises themselves to take the lead in exploiting the full potential of the island economy. The establishment of the Body, along with the other Implementation Bodies, offers a new opportunity and provides new tools with which to take co-operation and common action forward. Funding of the Trade and Business Development Body is shared North and South on a one-third, two-thirds basis respectively. The total budget for the body is expected to exceed £14 million annually when fully operational.

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