Minister Chambers attends the informal General Affairs Council (Cohesion) meeting in Warsaw

The Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform Jack Chambers attended the informal General Affairs Council (Cohesion) meeting in Warsaw, Poland today (21 May 2025).

This meeting, under the Policy presidency of the Council of the EU, was a strategic discussion of the priorities for Cohesion Policy post-2027. This is in advance of the forthcoming announcements by the commission on the new EU budget package and significant proposed changes to the legislation governing Cohesion Policy funds.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister Chambers acknowledged that Ireland benefitted significantly from Cohesion Policy in the past and reiterated that Cohesion policy must continue to be the cornerstone of the European Union's efforts to promote economic, social, and territorial cohesion and respond to the needs of the most disadvantaged.

He stated that Cohesion Policy “will only deliver to its objectives if its core elements – including cofinancing and a place-based approach - are supported; it is adequately funded and; its focus remains on the long-term development of our regions.”

He noted that:

“Ireland recognises the particular challenges faced by Member States that are most affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and agrees that these regions should receive particular focused attention to ensure that their resilience is enhanced. However, it must also be recognised that other regions across the EU face distinct challenges which require intervention, to ensure that Union can adapt and respond to changing economic, environmental and social factors. This includes regions in transition and those regions which are particularly vulnerable to change.”

He emphasised the need for future EU policy development to be more coordinated and focused, with more of an emphasis on prioritisation and a clear recognition of the territorial or spatial impacts across all EU regions.

The Minister stated that Ireland’s

“urban regions are experiencing significant change and pressure to accommodate significant projected population and housing growth, in contrast to many other EU Member States (noting Eurostat projections relating to projected population growth to 2050), with housing supply and affordability presenting major challenges.”

Cohesion Policy is the European Union's strategy to promote and support the development of its Member States and regions by reinforcing economic, social and territorial dimensions. This policy aims to mitigate disparities in development levels among regions, thereby promoting equitable growth and integration throughout the EU. Cohesion funding is used in all areas of the country to support a range of initiatives to ensure that Ireland is well placed to take advantage of the opportunities arising from a green and digital Europe including; reskilling and upskilling, supporting SMEs, investment in research and development, and assisting in the just transition.

For the 2021-2027 period the overall MFF totals €1.2 trillion. Approximately a third - €331 billion - has been ring-fenced for Cohesion Policy.

Within Ireland, the Minister for Public Expenditure NDP Delivery & Reform has overall responsibility for Cohesion Policy and specific responsibility for the ERDF, including PEACEPLUS.

In summary Ireland will receive a total of €1.3 billion in Cohesion Policy Funds for the 2021– 2027 period, comprising of:

• €396 million for the European Regional Development Fund;
• €508 million for the European Social Fund+;
• €294 million for European Territorial Cooperation (including PEACEPLUS); and
• €84.5 million under the EU Just Transition Fund

When the requirement for national match funding is included the full value of the programmes supported by these allocations amounts to almost €3.5 billion. In addition, the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) will receive €142 million with smaller amounts available for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Internal Security Fund (ISF).

Each Member State is required to prepare a Partnership Agreement outlining the strategic funding priorities for the period, and Programmes detailing how they will implement the Funds.

This funding will be used in all areas of the country to support a range of initiatives to ensure that Ireland is well placed to take advantage of the opportunities arising from a green and digital Europe including:

• reskilling and upskilling our workforce;
• supporting SMEs;
• investment in research and development and emerging technologies; for example ERDF is likely to support initiatives for knowledge transfer between Technological Universities and SMEs;
• assisting in the just transition to a low carbon economy

While NextGenerationEU funds including the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) are not Cohesion Policy Funds and do not fall under this Council formation they are also under the responsibility of the Minister for Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform. They form an important part of the overall EU package of support to Member States as they look to programming resources to repair damage caused by the pandemic and undertake investments to improve overall resilience, meet the twin green and digital challenges, and support sustainable economic growth.