Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697805808679.pdf (Ireland)
SFC2021 Programme supported from the ERDF (Investment for jobs and growth goal), ESF+, the Cohesion Fund, the JTF and the EMFAF - Article 21(3) CCI Title in English Title in national language(s) Version First year Last year Eligible from Eligible until Commission decision number Commission decision date NUTS regions covered by the programme Fund(s) concerned Programme 2021IE16RFPR001 Northern and Western Regional Programme 2021-2027 GA - Clár Réigiúnach an Tuaiscirt agus an Iarthair 2021-27 1.1 2021 2027 01-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2029 IE04 - Northern and Western IE041 - Border IE042 - West ERDF under Investment for jobs and growth goal for the outermost regions only EN 1 EN Table of Contents 1.
Programme strategy: main challenges and policy responses ..................................................................... 5 Table 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 14 2.

Priorities ................................................................................................................................................... 20 2.1.
Priorities other than technical assistance .......................................................................................... 20 2.1.1.

Priority: P1.

Enhancing Research & Innovation and Promoting SME Growth & Competitiveness in the Northern and Western Region ....................................................................... 20 2.1.1.1.

Specific objective: RSO1.1.


Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies (ERDF) .......................................................................... 20 2.1.1.1.1.
Interventions of the Funds ............................................................................................... 20 The related types of actions – point (d)(i) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation: ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 The main target groups - point (d)(iii) of Article 22(3) CPR: ..................................................... 22 Actions safeguarding equality, inclusion and non-discrimination – point (d)(iv) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation ........................................................................................... 22 Indication of the specific territories targeted, including the planned use of territorial tools – point (d)(v) of Article 22(3) CPR ......................................................................................................... 23 The interregional, cross-border and transnational actions – point (d)(vi) of Article 22(3) CPR 23 The planned use of financial instruments – point (d)(vii) of Article 22(3) CPR ......................... 24 2.1.1.1.2.
Indicators ......................................................................................................................... 24 Table 2: Output indicators ........................................................................................................... 24 Table 3: Result indicators ............................................................................................................ 25 2.1.1.1.3.
Indicative breakdown of the programmed resources (EU) by type of intervention ........ 25 Table 4: Dimension 1 - intervention field ................................................................................... 25 Table 5: Dimension 2 - form of financing ................................................................................... 26 Table 6: Dimension 3 – territorial delivery mechanism and territorial focus ............................. 26 Table 7: Dimension 6 – ESF+ secondary themes ........................................................................ 26 Table 8: Dimension 7 – ESF+*, ERDF, Cohesion Fund and JTF gender equality dimension ... 26 2.1.1.1.
Specific objective: RSO1.3.

Enhancing sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs, including by productive investments (ERDF) ...................................... 27 2.1.1.1.1.
Interventions of the Funds ............................................................................................... 27 The related types of actions – point (d)(i) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation: ..................................................................................................................................................... 27 The main target groups - point (d)(iii) of Article 22(3) CPR: ..................................................... 29 Actions safeguarding equality, inclusion and non-discrimination – point (d)(iv) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation ........................................................................................... 29 Indication of the specific territories targeted, including the planned use of territorial tools – point (d)(v) of Article 22(3) CPR ......................................................................................................... 29 The interregional, cross-border and transnational actions – point (d)(vi) of Article 22(3) CPR 30 The planned use of financial instruments – point (d)(vii) of Article 22(3) CPR ......................... 30 2.1.1.1.2.
Indicators ......................................................................................................................... 30 Table 2: Output indicators ........................................................................................................... 30 Table 3: Result indicators ............................................................................................................ 31 2.1.1.1.3.
Indicative breakdown of the programmed resources (EU) by type of intervention ........ 31 Table 4: Dimension 1 - intervention field ................................................................................... 31 Table 5: Dimension 2 - form of financing ................................................................................... 31 Table 6: Dimension 3 – territorial delivery mechanism and territorial focus ............................. 31 Table 7: Dimension 6 – ESF+ secondary themes ........................................................................ 32 Table 8: Dimension 7 – ESF+*, ERDF, Cohesion Fund and JTF gender equality dimension ... 32 2.1.1.
Priority: P2.

Improving Energy Efficiency in the Northern and Western Region .................... 33 2.1.1.1.

Specific objective: RSO2.1.

Promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (ERDF) ............................................................................................................................ 33 2.1.1.1.1.
Interventions of the Funds ............................................................................................... 33 EN 2 EN The related types of actions – point (d)(i) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation: ..................................................................................................................................................... 33 The main target groups - point (d)(iii) of Article 22(3) CPR: ..................................................... 34 Actions safeguarding equality, inclusion and non-discrimination – point (d)(iv) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation ........................................................................................... 35 Indication of the specific territories targeted, including the planned use of territorial tools – point (d)(v) of Article 22(3) CPR ......................................................................................................... 35 The interregional, cross-border and transnational actions – point (d)(vi) of Article 22(3) CPR 35 The planned use of financial instruments – point (d)(vii) of Article 22(3) CPR ......................... 35 2.1.1.1.2.
Indicators ......................................................................................................................... 36 Table 2: Output indicators ........................................................................................................... 36 Table 3: Result indicators ............................................................................................................ 36 2.1.1.1.3.
Indicative breakdown of the programmed resources (EU) by type of intervention ........ 36 Table 4: Dimension 1 - intervention field ................................................................................... 36 Table 5: Dimension 2 - form of financing ................................................................................... 37 Table 6: Dimension 3 – territorial delivery mechanism and territorial focus ............................. 37 Table 7: Dimension 6 – ESF+ secondary themes ........................................................................ 37 Table 8: Dimension 7 – ESF+*, ERDF, Cohesion Fund and JTF gender equality dimension ... 37 2.1.1.
Priority: P3.

Integrated Sustainable Urban Development of the Northern and Western Region ............................................................................................................................................................. 38 2.1.1.1.

Specific objective: RSO5.1.


Fostering the integrated and inclusive social, economic and environmental development, culture, natural heritage, sustainable tourism, and security in urban areas (ERDF) ................................................................................................................................... 38 2.1.1.1.1.
Interventions of the Funds ............................................................................................... 38 The related types of actions – point (d)(i) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation: ..................................................................................................................................................... 38 The main target groups - point (d)(iii) of Article 22(3) CPR: ..................................................... 39 Actions safeguarding equality, inclusion and non-discrimination – point (d)(iv) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation ........................................................................................... 40 Indication of the specific territories targeted, including the planned use of territorial tools – point (d)(v) of Article 22(3) CPR ......................................................................................................... 40 The interregional, cross-border and transnational actions – point (d)(vi) of Article 22(3) CPR 41 The planned use of financial instruments – point (d)(vii) of Article 22(3) CPR ......................... 41 2.1.1.1.2.
Indicators ......................................................................................................................... 41 Table 2: Output indicators ........................................................................................................... 41 Table 3: Result indicators ............................................................................................................ 42 2.1.1.1.3.
Indicative breakdown of the programmed resources (EU) by type of intervention ........ 42 Table 4: Dimension 1 - intervention field ................................................................................... 42 Table 5: Dimension 2 - form of financing ................................................................................... 42 Table 6: Dimension 3 – territorial delivery mechanism and territorial focus ............................. 42 Table 7: Dimension 6 – ESF+ secondary themes ........................................................................ 43 Table 8: Dimension 7 – ESF+*, ERDF, Cohesion Fund and JTF gender equality dimension ... 43 2.2.
Technical assistance priorities .......................................................................................................... 44 3. Financing plan ......................................................................................................................................... 45 3.1.
Transfers and contributions (1) ......................................................................................................... 45 Table 15A: Contributions to InvestEU* (breakdown by year) ........................................................ 45 Table 15B: Contributions to InvestEU* (summary) ........................................................................ 45 Justification, taking into account how those amounts contribute to the achievement of policy objectives selected in the programme in accordance with Article 10(1) of the InvestEU Regulation ......................................................................................................................................................... 46 Table 16A: Transfers to instruments under direct or indirect management (breakdown by year) .. 46 Table 16B: Transfers to instruments under direct or indirect management* (summary) ................ 46 Transfers to instruments under direct or indirect management - Justification ................................ 46 Table 17A: Transfers between ERDF, ESF+ and Cohesion Fund or to another Fund or Funds* (breakdown by year) ........................................................................................................................ 46 EN 3 EN Table 17B: Transfers between ERDF, ESF+ and Cohesion Fund or to another Fund or Funds (summary) ........................................................................................................................................ 47 Transfers between shared management funds, including between cohesion policy funds - Justification ...................................................................................................................................... 47 3.2.
JTF: allocation in the programme and transfers (1) ......................................................................... 47 3.3.
Transfers between categories of region resulting from the mid-term review ................................... 47 Table 19A: Transfers between categories of region resulting from the mid-term review within the programme (breakdown by year) .................................................................................................... 47 Table 19B: Transfers between categories of region resulting from the mid-term review, to other programmes (breakdown by year) ................................................................................................... 47 3.4.
Transfers back (1) ............................................................................................................................. 48 Table 20A: Transfers back (breakdown by year) ............................................................................ 48 Table 20B: Transfers back* (summary) .......................................................................................... 48 3.5.
Financial appropriations by year ...................................................................................................... 49 Table 10: Financial appropriations by year ..................................................................................... 49 3.6.
Total financial appropriations by fund and national co-financing ................................................... 50 Table 11: Total financial allocations by fund and national contribution ......................................... 50 4.

Enabling conditions ................................................................................................................................. 51 5.
Programme authorities ............................................................................................................................. 70 Table 13: Programme authorities ............................................................................................................ 70 The repartition of the reimbursed amounts for technical assistance pursuant to Article 36(5) CPR if more bodies are identified to receive payments from the Commission .................................................. 70 6.
Partnership ............................................................................................................................................... 71 7.

Communication and visibility ................................................................................................................. 75 8.
Use of unit costs, lump sums, flat rates and financing not linked to costs .............................................. 78 Table 14: Use of unit costs, lump sums, flat rates and financing not linked to costs .............................. 78 Appendix 1: Union contribution based on unit costs, lump sums and flat rates ......................................... 79 A.

Summary of the main elements .......................................................................................................... 79 B.
Details by type of operation ................................................................................................................ 80 C. Calculation of the standard scale of unit costs, lump sums or flat rates ............................................. 80 1.

Source of data used to calculate the standard scale of unit costs, lump sums or flat rates (who produced, collected and recorded the data, where the data is stored, cut-off dates, validation, etc.)

...... 80 2.
...... 80 2.

Please specify why the proposed method and calculation based on Article 94(2) CPR is relevant to the type of operation.

............................................................................................................................... 80 3.

Please specify how the calculations were made, in particular including any assumptions made in terms of quality or quantities.
Where relevant, statistical evidence and benchmarks should be used and, if requested, provided in a format that is usable by the Commission.

..................................................... 80 4.

Please explain how you have ensured that only eligible expenditure was included in the calculation of the standard scale of unit cost, lump sum or flat rate.

............................................................................. 80 5.
Assessment of the audit authority(ies) of the calculation methodology and amounts and the arrangements to ensure the verification, quality, collection and storage of data.

.................................... 80 Appendix 2: Union contribution based on financing not linked to costs .................................................... 81 A.

Summary of the main elements .......................................................................................................... 81 B.
Details by type of operation ................................................................................................................ 82 Appendix 3: List of planned operations of strategic importance with a timetable ...................................... 83 DOCUMENTS ............................................................................................................................................ 84 EN 4 EN 1.
Programme strategy: main challenges and policy responses Reference: points (a)(i) to (viii) and point (a)(x) of Article 22(3) and point (b) of Article 22(3) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 (CPR) IINTRODUCTION The Northern and Western Regional Programme 2021-27 (“the Programme”) is an ERDF co-funded investment Programme that supports balanced regional development in the only NUTS 2 region in Ireland which is designated as a Region in Transition.
The Northern and Western Region (NWR) covers 9 local authority areas and 2 sub-regions.

It has a population of just under 885,000 and is predominantly a rural region having historically lower levels of urbanisation compared to other regions in Ireland.
However, this masks that our largest centre of population Galway has been the fastest growing city in Ireland over the last fifty years and that our three Designated Regional Growth Centres of Letterkenny, Sligo and Athlone perform functions not dissimilar to cities albeit on a different scale.

The NWR is also home to a total of 8 key towns and a network of small towns and villages and rural areas that make up to 80% of the regions total population.
Our region contains four of the five counties in the Republic of Ireland which have a land border with Northern Ireland.

This €217 million co-funded programme of investment is supported by €130 million of EU funding and €87 million of national funding provided by the Government of Ireland.

The Programme supports the implementation of the Regional Economic and Spatial Strategy (RSES) in the region and is focused on the following key strategic outcomes: 1.
Developing a Smarter More Competitive Region by building RD&I capacity within the public research institutions in our region (including the newly established Atlantic Technological University (ATU), by accelerating the translation of cutting-edge research into commercial applications at a regional level, by supporting innovation diffusion and by strengthening regional innovation ecosystems in line with Ireland's Smart Specialisation Strategy and the Regional Enterprise Plans.

2.
2.

Creating a Greener More Energy Efficient Region and a Just Transition by focusing on scaling up investment in actions that improve the energy efficiency of residential homes while targeting homeowners in, or at risk of, energy poverty.

3.

Supporting Sustainable Urban Development in our Region by taking an integrated strategic approach to the regeneration of our towns using a Town Centres First Framework.
PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT The Programme Strategy for ERDF in the NWR is directly linked to the RSES for the region.

The RSES is a strategic plan and investment framework to shape the future development of our region to 2032 and beyond.
The Programme supports the implementation of the NWR RSES, taking into account lessons learnt from past experience, the Country Reports (CR2019, 2020 and 2022), an independent Needs Analysis for ERDF and ESF+ Funding (2020), the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP2021), the National Development Plan Review (NDP2021), public consultations, and a wide range of national and EU reports and policy documents.
There is a particular focus on aligning the Programme with other EU, national and private sector actions and investment under Ireland’s Climate Action Plan (2021), EN 5 EN Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3) (2022), and Town Centre First – a Policy Approach for Irish Towns (2022).
The Programme is also framed by EU policy objectives, thematic concentration, climate change contribution requirements as set out in the regulations, the opportunity to complement other EU, national and regional investments and the limited amount of ERDF funding available relative to the scale of the challenges in the region.
In this respect, the Programme seeks to avoid competing with other public or private investment and focuses instead on key challenges and investment needs, as identified in the S3 and RSES, where the ERDF can make a strong and visible impact to the benefit of our region and its citizens.

The Programme focuses on 3 selected Policy Objectives and has been structured under 3 priorities to reflect this.
Priority 1: A Smarter and More Competitive Region - The vision set out in Ireland’s S3 is to “embrace a regional approach to addressing Ireland’s Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) challenges and to “provide a ‘bridge’ between regional and national innovation strategy building and decision making, bringing coherence to RD&I planning for the benefit of enterprise and advancing the RD&I agenda regionally and nationally”.
By focusing on a wide range of interconnected strategic areas – such as population growth, sustainable housing patterns, transport mobility, health, education and social services, economic development and climate change – the RSES of the NWR collectively identifies the region’s assets, opportunities and challenges, providing an overarching policy response in the form of Regional Policy Objectives.
In doing so, the RSES aims to achieve sustainable population and employment growth up to 2032, while supporting the NWR’s ambition to become a region that is “Urban”, “Connected”, “Smarter”, “Specialised” and “Green”, consolidated by a settlement strategy focusing on “People and Places”.

It thus has a very close fit with the S3 and P01 of the programme.

In 2019, Ireland’s GDP per capita was 193% of the EU average.
However, this is driven by a particularly strong performance from the Southern region – 236% of the EU average – and the Eastern & Midland region – 207% of the EU average.

The NWR is lagging behind at 76% (CR 2022).

In this period, the Southern region produced three times the economic output per capita of the NWR in terms of regional GDP and these disparities have been increasing since 2010.

The NWR is ranked as the 177th most competitive region in the EU (European Regional Competitiveness Index, 2019).
This is due to lower-than-average results in terms of infrastructure, market size and efficiency.

The European Commission released the 2021 “Regional Innovation Scoreboard” which assessed the innovation performance of 240 regions across Europe.

As per the latest results, the NWR is now the only Irish region to be considered a “Moderate Innovator” which is a region which has a regional innovation index score of between 70 and 100 per cent of the EU average.
Whereas the Southern, Eastern and Midland Regions are classified as being “Strong Innovators”, namely regions with a score of between 100 and 125 per cent of the EU average.
Although the region’s overall innovation index score has improved since 2014, the NWR continues to record notable weaknesses relative to the EU average in 2021 – in terms of Research, Development and Innovation (R,D&I) expenditure in the private and public sectors; Employed ICT specialists; Employment in knowledge intensive activities; Patent applications; Trademark applications and Design applications.

PO1 can assist in directly addressing these weaknesses.
EN 6 EN Additionally, PO1 will also seek to address recommendations for the region from the S3 strategy, RSES policy objectives, and the CRs (2019 -2022).

These include the lack of investment in public RD&I, the need for proof of concept investments, regional innovation fora, SME investment and training opportunities, knowledge transfer, and the decline in funding to HEI’s and the critical need to support our newly established Atlantic Technological University (ATU).
Furthermore, it will aim to address the lack of global supply chains and technology innovation spill over between Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) and SMEs in the region.
While there are Government supports in place to encourage start-ups and new SMEs, the NWR Programme Strategy will focus on areas that currently do not have committed exchequer supports for example HEIs, especially the new ATU and will encourage them to engage in a proactive manner with existing SMEs to address place-based industry needs.
Under P01 the Programme responds to the RSES and to the S3, together with challenges and policy responses set out in Innovation 2020, the NDP, the National Economic Recovery Plan, Enterprise 2025 Renewed, SME and Entrepreneurship Growth Plan, the National AI Strategy, Industry 4.0 Strategy, Our Rural Future, Science Foundation Ireland Strategy 2025, and the Regional Enterprise Plans.

The Programme focuses on addressing the following key challenges in the NWR Programme area under PO1.
RD&I capacity building The most recent CR for Ireland (2022) states that relatively low levels of RD&I investment in the NWR are a continuing concern.

However, it also refers to the establishment of the new ATU in the region as a positive element stating that “the new legislation to reform the governance of higher education and further development of technological universities are expected to improve the quality, efficiency and the innovation capacity of the higher education sector”.
The new ATU was established on 1st April 2022.

It encompasses the entire NWR and brings together almost 600 academic Programmes to a current student population of 20,000 students across eight campuses.

In addition to undergraduate and postgraduate courses, it will offer upskilling and employee education and will support enterprises, especially SMEs, through collaborative research and technology transfer.
It will build economic, cultural and social prosperity across our region and will be embedded in the region with strong links to local enterprise, business and community stakeholders.

The ATU will provide informed research which will be applied to teach and develop learning excellence in pursuit of a more balanced regional engagement and development through expanded higher education access and pathways and lifelong learning progression.
The NWR Programme will provide a key stimulus for this proposed engagement by the ATU with stakeholders in the region.

The Programme will focus on strengthening the ATUs’ research and innovation office and the industry gateways that support delivery of collaborative projects.

This increased capacity will support far greater engagement with regional enterprises, recognizing that collaboration with SMEs will frequently begin through smaller non-financial supports.
Supporting knowledge transfer The S3 consultation emphasised the importance of funding the Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) in the HEI’s in the region, building on the success of the Technology Transfer Strengthening Initiative (TTSI) that is due to end in 2022.
TTOs support the increased use of national template agreements to simplify and speed up contracting with HEI’s , as well as bringing more consistency for companies and innovators; the collection and publication of information on the facilities, equipment and supports available to companies to access within the third level and State-funded research base at national and regional level; the need to orchestrate existing and emerging capacities in regional areas and to raise the profile nationally and internationally; the continuity of industry-academic collaborations beyond a EN 7 EN completed project to help bring a project’s innovations to market; and the development of spin out companies.
Accelerating the translation of cutting-edge research into commercial applications The OECD study on SME and Entrepreneurship Policy in Ireland (2019) stated that “Ireland is a successful generator of high-growth firms and its SMEs are innovative.

Attitudes toward entrepreneurship are also positive overall.

However, business dynamism and the start-up rate are relatively low, Irish SMEs are not very active in international markets, and SME productivity growth is stagnant.
Approaches are also needed to connect SMEs and entrepreneurs in remote regions with broader entrepreneurship ecosystems in urban centres and larger cities”.

The number of active SMEs located in the NWR amounted to 44,046 in 2019.

Between 2009 and 2019, the number of active SMEs located in the NWR rose by only 0.8%, which was considerably lower than the corresponding national growth rate of 11.4%.
During this time, the year-on-year change in the number of active SMEs in the NWR underperformed relative to the national average in 10 out of the last 11 years inclusive (2009-2019).

Science Foundation Ireland’s (SFI) 2025 strategy recognizes that the human capital, innovation and technology created by SFI-funded research must be transferred effectively to the domestic SME sector.
The Programme will support SFI’s new strategy to help boost the productivity of domestically owned enterprises by focusing on building partnerships and connections between SMEs and HEI’s in the region.

This will be done through knowledge exchange, formal technology licensing, new SME supports, spinning out new companies, and by working with Enterprise Ireland and HEI’s.
Drive the development of skills needed for ‘needs led’ innovation in the region S3 in the NWR will drive the development of skills needed for enhancing innovation activity across the region.

This will be achieved through new and enhanced supports based on creating the necessary skills for ‘needs led’ innovation, informed by existing international and national best practice and by our S3 analysis and findings.
Strengthen and develop functional regional innovation ecosystems S3 encourages more regionally dispersed RD&I, to strengthen the enterprise base and identify emerging areas of opportunity.
This will be achieved by leveraging and building on the analysis of the NWR’s strengths and emerging areas of opportunity undertaken as part of the development of Ireland’s S3; addressing gaps in existing regional innovation infrastructures and systems by supporting projects aligned with the three Regional Enterprise Plans in our region and by seeking out opportunities to enable inter-regional collaboration through structures like the REP national oversight group.
These regional challenges are aligned under two of the PO1 specific objectives: • Developing and enhancing RD&I capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies (RSO1.1); and productive investments (RSO1.3) • Enhancing sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs, including by EN 8 EN Investment needs under the three remaining PO1 specific objectives will be met through other sources of public and private investment.
These will include national and EU funding of a wide range of grant supports and financial instruments for SMEs and public research bodies, including for example, research centres, innovation partnership Programme, commercialisation fund and the microenterprise schemes that were ERDF co-financed in 2014-2020.
The Programme will complement actions under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) to support the digitalisation of businesses, to drive reforms in regional skills development, digital infrastructure and staff development in the ATU, and to use mission oriented challenges, similar to the Horizon Europe structure, to incentivise researchers to deliver tangible impact for society in areas such as health, agriculture, the blue economy and climate through a new National Grand Challenges Programme in research.
Several of the actions will be delivered through Enterprise Ireland, the government organisation responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets.

Enterprise Ireland leads the national support network for Horizon Europe and as such will provide important opportunities for complementarities between Horizon Europe and ERDF supported actions.

The Programme responds to S3 ambitions by strengthening the new ATU to be a regional innovation leader.
To date the ATU has not had the real capacity needed to compete in this environment or to bring regional actors such as SMEs and other TUs together in a meaningful way.

This new capacity is designed to address that very issue and the Programme is therefore highly complementary to and synergistic with Horizon Europe ambitions.
The Programme will also complement funding and activities under the other CPR funds, Connecting Europe Facility, LIFE programme, InvestEU and other financial instruments managed by the European Investment Bank.

This includes activities that support the objectives of the Atlantic Action Plan 2.0.
For example, investment in RD&I capacity building in the programme area will support EMFAF investment in research to tackle climate actions, knowledge sharing, development of process innovation to support operational optimisation in the processing sector and research to quantify the potential of coastal habitats as carbon sinks.
Actions under PO1 are closely aligned to many of the actions set out under the European Research Area (ERA) policy agenda, in particular Action 15 to Build-Up Regional and National R&I Ecosystems to Improve Regional/National Excellence and Competitiveness, Action 16 to Improve EU-Wide Access to Excellence, and Action 17 to Enhance the Strategic Capacity of Europe’s Public Research Performing Organisations.
For example, the focus on strengthening RDI capacity in the ATU will see the ATU extend latent research and innovation excellence into the region (but also nationally and internationally), by working with enterprise actors to create and exploit knowledge in line with the ERA policy agenda.
Priority 2 A LOW-CARBON ENERGY EFFICIENT REGION Need for Sustainable Regional Development The selection of PO2 “A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility” for ERDF is mandatory to meet the requirements for thematic concentration of ERDF support.
As outlined in the S3, the transition to a low carbon economy provides a major opportunity to revitalise the NWR’s economy and enhance the quality of life in the region.

The strengths of the NWR lie in Marine Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency Technologies, Climate Monitoring Technologies, Onshore EN 9 EN Wind Energy, Solar Energy, Sustainable Agriculture and Bioeconomy Practices, Carbon Sequestration, Hydrogen Production, Afforestation Services and Environmental Engineering and Ecosystem Services.
The NDP 2021 - 2030 is designed to ensure that it supports Ireland’s climate ambitions.

For the first time in Ireland, climate and environmental assessment of the NDP measures has been undertaken, along with an assessment of the alignment of the NDP as a whole with the principle of a green recovery.

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed an enormous burden on our society and economy.

As we emerge from the current crisis and rebuild, it is crucial that we embed climate resilience as part of our recovery.
We must make structural changes that will break the link between fossil fuels and economic progress and ensure that our post-COVID-19 recovery is fully consistent with the transformation to a decarbonised economy over the coming decades.

From a regional perspective, the RSES for the NWR highlights regional challenges and opportunities and provides bespoke Regional Planning Objectives which are aligned with the National Marine Plan, Project Ireland 2040, and the NECP.
The RSES for the NWR includes, as a Regional Planning Objective, the promotion of innovative new building design and retrofitting of existing buildings, both private properties and publicly owned to improve energy efficiency, energy conservation and the use of renewable energy sources following National Regulations and Policy.

In addition, the Indecon Needs analysis highlighted that there is a need to accelerate progress to address climate change objectives and the green economy.
While this will require a range of policies and a scale of resources outside of the scope of the Cohesion Funds, it is important that these funds support these objectives.

The scale of the investment required to meet climate action ambitions in the Programme area is reflected in the decision to focus resources on one specific objective – promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (RSO2.1) – rather than attempting to spread the investment over multiple objectives.
CAP21 identifies significant public investment under the NDP, complemented by investment under the NRRP, the EU Just Transition Fund (JTF) and the ERDF but notes that relying solely on public funding “is neither affordable nor adequate to the scale of the challenge to be addressed” and identifies a role for private investment, regulation and taxation policy.
The scale of the investment required to meet climate action ambitions in the programme area is reflected in the decision to focus programme resources on one specific objective – promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (RSO2.1) – rather than attempting to spread the investment over multiple specific objectives.

Simply put, while there are many other investment needs in the programme area under PO2, these will have to be met by other sources of public and private investment.
CAP21 identifies some of the other sources of investment that will support investment needs under PO2.

Measures in the energy area, including those envisaged under RSO2.2 and RSO2.3, will be financed “through a variety of mechanisms in combination with private investment: direct Exchequer capital supports; displacing fossil fuel imports; the Public Service Obligation (PSO) Levy; and, in respect of investment in the regulated gas and electricity networks by the system operators, through network charges”.
The NRRP commits €518 million towards decarbonising projects such as retrofitting, ecosystem resilience and regeneration, climate mitigation and adaptation, and green data systems (RSO2.1, RSO2.4, RSO2.7).

The NDP and the NRRP commit significant funding towards Sustainable Urban Mobility (RSO2.8).

EAFRD will continue to play a role in supporting resource efficiency and energy efficiency in agriculture, food and forestry sectors.

Timing is also a factor in the decision to focus on RSO2.1.
While actions to promote the Circular Economy (RSO2.6) and to enhance biodiversity (RSO2.7) will be required in the programme area and are consistent with regional policy objectives, regional actions towards meeting these objectives are best EN 10 EN delivered under two forthcoming national policy frameworks, not yet published.
The “Whole-of- Government Circular Economy Strategy” will provide an overall national policy framework for the circular transition and will include measures to improve Ireland’s circularity performance above the EU average by 2030.

Ireland’s “4th National Biodiversity Action Plan (2022- 2026)” has been drafted following a comprehensive review of national, European and international biodiversity policies and other relevant plans and strategies.
It will take a “a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach” and will be finalised and published following a period of public consultation later this year.

Focusing investment on promoting energy efficiency is not intended to downplay the importance of addressing other areas of climate action, it simply recognizes that the Programme has limited resources and other sources of funding will have a role to play in delivering on the specific objectives under PO2.
This focus remains aligned with the RSES, both of which emphasize that improving energy efficiency is vital to reduce energy consumption while improving economic growth.

The supported actions also prioritise operations that respect the ‘energy efficiency first’ principle in support of objective of achieving a climate-neutral Union by 2050, as per recital 60 of Reg (EU) 2021/1060.
In assessing the actions to be supported under RSO2.1, it was important to consider how they would complement other investments and how they could build on lessons learnt under previous programmes.

Some consideration was given to supporting actions to promote energy efficiency in public sector buildings.

CAP21 includes plans for a Public Sector Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation Programme to address all major building portfolios in the sector.
The NRRP and NDP funding is supporting pathfinder projects and there are commitments to develop an EPC delivery vehicle for up to €1 billion of privately-funded EPCs in public buildings.

However, there are very significant short-term barriers to be overcome, including developing mechanisms and guidance to support off-balance sheet treatment, capacity building in the public sector and supply-side issues, all of which would impact on absorption and programme delivery.
Instead, the focus will be supporting the regional delivery of the new National Retrofit Plan (NRP).

This plan aims to reduce emissions from the Residential sector from 7 Mt CO2 eq.

in 2018 to between 3.5-4.5 Mt CO2eq.

in 2030.

Improving the energy efficiency of households in the NWR will be a significant challenge for the region in the coming years.
The severity of this challenge is evident from the relatively low proportion of audited households in the NWR with a Building Energy Rating (BER) between “A” and “B”.

Between 2009 and Q1-2022, only 21% of audited households in Ireland registered a BER between “A” and “B”, with below-average proportions recorded in all of the Local Authorities based in the Northern and Western Region.
During this time, only 12% of households audited in Roscommon and Leitrim recorded a BER between “A” or “B”, with below average ratios also recorded in Mayo and Donegal (both 13%), Sligo and Galway City (both 16%), Galway County and Cavan (both 17%) and Monaghan (20%).” As of Q3-2021, the use of solid fuels – namely wood logs, coal, peat and wood pellets – were considerably higher in the Northern and Western Region and was highest in the Border counties in our region where 20% of households used solid fuel as their main heating fuel, compared to the national average of 11%.
An above average reliance was also recorded in the counties located in the West, as 17% of households used solid fuel as their main heating fuel which was also above the national average.

Under the NRRP, the Government is working with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland and the European Investment Bank to develop a retrofit loan guarantee scheme and associated low-cost residential retrofit loans.
This will make comprehensive home energy efficiency upgrades more affordable to middle- and high-income households and noncorporate landlords.

It will address a key EN 11 EN investment need in the regions.

However, it is recognized that separate measures are required to support low-income households, particularly those at most risk of energy poverty.
The European Green Deal sets out the EU’s climate and environmental goals to reach climate neutrality by 2050 and at the same time to ensure the transition is just and inclusive – leaving no one behind – and to address the risk of energy poverty to ensure a basic standard of living for all citizens.

The extent of energy poverty in Ireland is significant irrespective of the indicators used for the assessment.
The ESRI “Energy Poverty and Deprivation in Ireland” report June 2022 evidenced that energy poverty (based on households spending more than 10% of disposal income on energy) in Ireland has increased from 13.2% in 2015/2016 to 29.4% as at April 2022.
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities Arrears and Non-Payment of Account (NPA) Disconnections February 2021 Update showed that 240,000 electricity customers i.e., 11% of households and 112,833 gas customers i.e., 16% of householders were in arrears in February 2021 in Ireland.

The CSO Statistics show that prior to the significant increase in energy prices as a result of the war in Ukraine, 7% of households in the NWR went without heating at some stage in 2021.
SEAI’s domestic fuel comparison of energy costs reported that on average the cost of coal increased by 37%, oil by 78%, gas by 33% and electricity by 15% from April 2021 to April 2022.

The ESRI advise that the increasing energy cost trend is likely to continue as wholesale energy prices continue to increase and estimate that if energy prices increase by a further 25% this will increase the number of households in energy poverty to 43% in Ireland.
Addressing energy poverty is more important than ever and therefore a key investment need that this Programme seeks to address.

Additionally, the disposable income levels in the NWR are among the lowest in Ireland and so do not easily allow for the upgrade and retrofitting of households in the region.
According to the Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) 2021 households in the Eastern and Midlands region had a median household disposable income of €52,900, compared with €41,394 in the Southern region, and just €38,183 in the NWR.

The actions will complement the retrofit loan guarantee scheme under the NRRP and actions under both the NRRP and the ESF+ programme will help build capacity within the retrofit sector.
For example, the SOLAS Green Skills Action Programme is funded through the NRRP for 2021 and 2022.

It is proposed to build on this through ESF+ on its completion, with provision of future green skills modules as a component of vocational training courses delivered through SOLAS and the ETBs to be funded through ESF+ from 2023.
P03 - SUSTAINABLE AND INTEGRATED URBAN DEVELOPMENT The new ERDF regulation provides for an increased focus on sustainable urban development through the support of integrated strategies to more effectively tackle the economic, environmental, climate, demographic and social challenges affecting urban areas with a minimum target of 8% of the ERDF resources allocated at national level for that purpose.
Project Ireland 2040 is the overarching policy and planning framework for the social, economic and cultural development of Ireland.

It includes a detailed capital investment plan for the period 2021 to 2030, NDP, and the NPF.

In line with the NPF and NDP, the RSES sets a 12-year statutory strategic planning and economic development framework for future economic, spatial, and social development of the NWR in pursuit of more balanced regional development.
Our RSES recognises the strategic role played by our urban settlements, building on our Metropolitan Area (Galway city), Designated Regional Growth Centres, Key Towns and our urban settlement networks as centres for population and employment growth to drive economic growth in the Region.

EN 12 EN Regional Policy Objectives in our RSES support active land management and actions to address sustainable urban development, and the principles of ‘Compact Growth’.
The Government’s overarching strategy for the renewal and regeneration of towns in Ireland - ‘Town Centre First – A Policy Approach for Irish Towns’ was formally launched on 4th February 2022.

The policy was a priority commitment of the ‘Programme for Government - Our Shared Future’ and was developed jointly by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) and Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD).
‘Housing for All’ (HfA -2021) is the Government’s ten-year Housing Plan for Ireland comprising four pillars to deliver increased housing provision nationally.

Pillar number 4 targets measures to increase the use of existing underutilised building stock to create new homes.

The pillar specifically references harnessing the ERDF to address clear problems of dereliction and vacancy in our towns and to provide measures to regenerate them into viable uses as part of the TCF policy (Objective 19.4 of HfA).
The aesthetic decline of the towns in our region are a blight both visually and economically, preventing or limiting strategic measures in public investment aimed at the wider regeneration of the urban area or town involved.

Several reports have highlighted the extent of the urban degeneration such as The GeoDirectory Residential and Commercial Buildings database.

As of December 2021, the NWR vacancy and dereliction rates were higher than the State average.
The commercial vacancy rate of the NWR was 13.5% at the of 2021, which was higher than the State average of 11.7%.

Likewise, the residential vacancy and dereliction rate of Northern and Western Region was 9.8% in December 2021, which was higher relative to the State average of 4.6%.
An integrated and strategic approach to the regeneration of towns in the programme area is required, taking into consideration a range of recommended initiatives to progress the achievement of national, regional and local objectives for urban regeneration and compact growth.

This approach is in line with the New European Bauhaus initiative which offers a meeting space to design future ways of living (urban lab), situated at the crossroads between art, culture, social inclusion, science and technology.
It calls for a collective effort to imagine and build a future that is sustainable, inclusive and beautiful and this programme will encourage this ethos in the delivery of its Town Centre First policy platform.An allocation of 15% of total programme resources has been made to PO3 to reflect the scale of investment required to address the challenge of urban regeneration within towns in the programme area.
Conclusion This is an ambitious Programme and will require significant capacity building to ensure strong governance and effective programme implementation.
The MA has worked closely with our intermediate bodies - Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) and the Higher Education Authority - in the design of the Programme and will continue to work with them in the design and implementation of effective and efficient Management and Control Systems.
Technical Assistance will be used to: (i) support skills development for beneficiaries, intermediate bodies, partners and the MA; (ii) procure external expertise when required; (iii) develop the electronic data exchange and collection systems required under the CPR; and (iv) retain additional staff to ensure that Managing Authorities have sufficient resources to manage the Regional Programme, as recommended in CR 2019.

EN 13 EN 1.
EN 13 EN 1.

Programme strategy: main challenges and policy responses Table 1 Policy objective or JTF specific objective Specific objective or dedicated priority * Justification (Summary) 1.

A more competitive and smarter Europe by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation and regional ICT connectivity RSO1.1.
Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies The most recent Country Report for Ireland (2022) states that relatively low levels of RD&I investment in the NWR are a continuing concern.
However, it also refers to the establishment of the new ATU as a positive element for the region stating that “the new legislation to reform the governance of higher education and further development of technological universities are expected to improve the quality, efficiency and the innovation capacity of the higher education sector”.
This specific objective will support this new development directly by enhancing Research and Innovation capacities in the regions' Higher Education Institutes including the newly established ATU.
This specific objective will assist in meeting high level strategic goals of Ireland’s new Smart Specialisation Strategy including using Smart Specialisation to: improve research and innovation capacity in our region; encouraging more regionally dispersed RD&I, strengthening the enterprise base, and identifying emerging areas of opportunity; increasing the regional uptake of new advanced technologies; driving the development of skills needed for enhancing innovation activity; and encouraging the maximising of sectoral strengths through clustering and the scaling of Ireland’s existing areas of research.
The NWR RSES also identified developing the regions’ research and innovation capacity as a key strategic outcome.

PO1 will address this NWR RSES policy EN 14 EN Policy objective or JTF specific objective Specific objective or dedicated priority * Justification (Summary) 1.

A more competitive and smarter Europe by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation and regional ICT connectivity RSO1.3.
Enhancing sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs, including by productive investments objective directly by supporting the lack of investment in public RD&I (including the need for proof-of-concept investments, regional innovation fora, SME investment and knowledge transfer), and the decline in general funding to higher education and problems within the region such as a lack of global supply chains and technology innovation spill over between MNCs, HEIs and SMEs.
The Selection of P01 for ERDF is mandatory to meet the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 CPR Article 4 Thematic Concentration of ERDF support.
Ireland’s S3 identifies leveraging the region’s strengths, emerging areas of opportunity and addressing existing gaps in regional innovation systems, by supporting projects aligned with the Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs), as key to delivering on the S3 high level strategic goals of encouraging more regionally dispersed RD&I and strengthening the enterprise base.

In 2021, the NWRA worked with the OECD on a study to identify barriers to innovation diffusion.
One of the main findings is that the region has distinct challenges particularly relating to digitalisation of our SMEs and the rate of cluster and sector alignment.

This objective aims to support SME’s and SME development and growth in the NWR.

SMEs are key to strengthening productivity, delivering more inclusive growth, adapting to megatrends can have a considerable positive impact on employment creation, innovation, productivity growth and competitiveness.
SMEs can scale up and innovate at different stages and fostering innovation in established SMEs can EN 15 EN Policy objective or JTF specific objective Specific objective or dedicated priority * Justification (Summary) enhance aggregate productivity and narrow wage gaps.
The 2019, 2020, and 2022 European Commission Country Reports for Ireland highlight the need to enhance competitiveness and the growth of Irish owned SMEs and similarly, Ireland’s S3 also supports this need to expand the regions’ enterprise base and RD&I capacity.
The challenge of enhancing competitiveness and sustaining growth was also emphasised in the National Reform Programme and the ERDF Needs Analysis identified the productivity of SMEs Infrastructure including Settlement Partners as a critical factor.

According to the 2019 OECD review of SME and entrepreneurship policies, SME productivity growth is stagnant in Ireland with both lower productivity levels and growth in the NWR compared to the other Irish regions.
The number of active SMEs located in the NWR amounted to 44,046 in 2019.

Between 2009 and 2019, the number of active SMEs located in the NWR rose by only 0.8%, which was considerably lower than the corresponding national growth rate of 11.4%.

During this time, the year-on-year change in the number of active SMEs in the NWR underperformed relative to the national average.
RSO1.3 aims to address this issue directly along with the recommendations of the S3, Country Reports (2019, 2020,2022), and the Independent Needs Analysis.

The 2020 Country Report for Ireland acknowledged that the 2019 Climate Action Plan represented “a much-needed breakthrough and a stepping stone in the transition to a climate neutral and circular economy” but stated that GHG 2.
A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate RSO2.1.
Promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions EN 16 EN Policy objective or JTF specific objective Specific objective or dedicated priority * Justification (Summary) change mitigation and adaptation risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility emissions in the transport, building and agriculture sectors are high and increasing.

The plan states that there is scope to increase the share of renewables, energy efficiency and reduce GHGs and energy poverty.
However, simultaneously the cost of fossil fuels is rising with almost 30% of Irish households experiencing energy poverty (ESRI, 2022).

The 2021 Climate Action Plan sets out to reduce GHGs from the residential sector from 7 Mt CO2 eq.

in 2018 to between 3.5 – 4.5 Mt CO” eq.

in 2030 via the National Retrofit Plan and it also highlights the role of European Structural Funds, including the ERDF in supporting this new National Retrofit Plan.
The independent Needs Analysis for ERDF 2020 also identified the need to accelerate progress to address climate change objectives and the green economy.

While this will require a range of policies and a scale of resources outside of the scope of the Cohesion Funds, these funds have an important role to play.

The S3 and the RSES for the NWR have climate action and the protection of the environment at their core.
Investment in this area is aligned with measures to encourage compact growth and support sustainable urban development settlement patterns, both key elements in our RSES and in the NPF.

Our RSES states that improving energy efficiency is vital in order to reduce energy consumption and energy poverty in the region.
Given that the NWR is predominantly rural, has lower income levels (CR, 2022; SILC, 2022) and lower than average residential BER ratings (SEAI, 2022; S3, 2022), this objective seeks to directly address this issue in EN 17 EN Policy objective or JTF specific objective Specific objective or dedicated priority * Justification (Summary) 5.

A Europe closer to citizens by fostering the sustainable and integrated development of all types of territories and local initiatives RSO5.1.
Fostering the integrated and inclusive social, economic and environmental development, culture, natural heritage, sustainable tourism, and security in urban areas the NWR and go some way to creating a more energy efficient region.
To ensure the harmonious development of urban areas as well as non-urban areas, the ERDF Regulation EU 2021 /1058 provides under policy objective 5 for support to be delivered in an integrated manner to the economic, social and environmental development of regions based on cross-sectoral territorial strategies using integrated territorial development tools.
Furthermore, when developing urban areas, special attention is required to be paid to supporting functional urban areas due to their importance in triggering cooperation between local authorities and partners across administrative borders as well as strengthening urban-rural linkages.
The need to address competitiveness and attractiveness of our urban centres in the NWR was captured in the independent Needs Analysis for ERDF and ESF+ Project Ireland 2040 which is the overarching policy and planning framework for the social, economic and cultural development of Ireland.

It includes a detailed capital investment plan for the period 2021 to 2030, to assist in delivering the objectives of the NDP, and the 20-year NPF.
In line with the NPF and NDP, our RSES for the NWR sets development objectives for all of its larger urban settlements and growth centres.

It sets a 12-year statutory strategic planning and economic development framework for future economic, spatial, and social development of the Region in pursuit of balanced regional development.
The NWR RSES recognises the strategic role played by our urban settlements, EN 18 EN Policy objective or JTF specific objective Specific objective or dedicated priority * Justification (Summary) building on Metropolitan Areas, Regional Growth Centres, Key Towns and our urban settlement networks as centres for population and employment growth to drive economic growth in the Region.
Regional Policy Objectives in the NWR RSES support active land management and actions to address the principles of ‘Compact Growth’ and urban regeneration.

PO3 will provide for a place-based, flexible, innovative and integrated response to addressing Sustainable Urban Development, consistent with local and regional plans and with the national policy framework of Town Centre First.

* Dedicated priorities according to ESF+ Regulation EN 19 EN 2.
Priorities Reference: Article 22(2) and point (c) of Article 22(3) CPR 2.1.

Priorities other than technical assistance 2.1.1.

Priority: P1.

Enhancing Research & Innovation and Promoting SME Growth & Competitiveness in the Northern and Western Region 2.1.1.1.

Specific objective: RSO1.1.

Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies (ERDF) 2.1.1.1.1.
Interventions of the Funds Reference: points (d)(i), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (vii) of Article 22(3) CPR The related types of actions – point (d)(i) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation: The following types of action will be taken under this priority to develop and enhance research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies in the NWR programme area.
Selection of operations will be tailored to regional needs and will support investments that are in line with the S3 strategy and the three Regional Enterprise Plans within the programme area.

The development of Regional Enterprise Plans has been done in parallel with the creation of the S3.

The stakeholder consultation undertaken as part of the development of these Regional Enterprise Plans has acted as an entrepreneurial discovery process which has contributed valuable insights to the S3 for Ireland.
Capacity building within the new Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Action RSO1.1.1: Establish, strengthen and systemise the Atlantic Technological Universities (ATU) research and innovation office which support their academic staff and researchers and wider enterprise and community stakeholders in our region.
This will include developing researcher human capital in the ATU, including staff development, recruitment, postgraduate training and supervision, networking, and more structured collaborative knowledge- transfer and mobility schemes.

This action responds to S3 ambitions by strengthening the new ATU to be a regional innovation leader.

It aims to build new and additional capacity to facilitate and enable knowledge transfer and S3 objectives.
Supports will include but are not limited to, for example, incubator and research space, advisory and support services, assistance with product and/or market development, and work placements.

Enhanced RD&I capabilities and work placements in enterprises will bring knowledge and expertise right across the region and will bring problems and challenges back in, an important enabling step in cultivating SME engagement and building a pipeline for further collaborative projects.
Supported costs will include staffing costs, stipends, training and events, consultancy, small capital, equipment and indirect costs.

EN 20 EN Action RSO 1.1.2: Provide industry gateways with dedicated staff who work with industry in the NWR to articulate company problems in a manner that can be addressed by the established expert base in the new ATU.
Gateway staff will manage the interaction between regional enterprises and the ATU, help enterprises source funding where necessary, and ensure projects are delivered successfully and in an industry friendly manner.

Capacity building within the Regions' Public Research Institutions Action RSO 1.1.3: Retain Technology Transfer specialists to help companies and investors to access new knowledge and expertise, to drive innovation through collaboration, and to identify and license new technologies and IP.
These specialists will continue to develop the Technology Transfer System in public research institutions and will provide new resources to place a focus on developing spin out company opportunities in the NWR.

Accelerating the translation of cutting-edge research into commercial applications at a regional level Action RSO 1.1.4: Establish a new "Smart Hub" model for innovation and entrepreneurial training in the NWR.
The model will integrate critical elements of a research, development and innovation (RD&I) ecosystem with entrepreneurial approaches, thus accelerating time to market from research concept to HPSUs, new product introduction, licences and innovations.

The new regional Smart Hub for Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation in the NWR will be established in key thematic areas aligned with regional strategic priorities and Ireland's S3.
Supporting innovation diffusion, enterprise innovation and entrepreneurship in the region Action RSO 1.1.5: Develop new immersive-based needs-led innovation training programmes, closely aligned to the priorities of the RSES and the S3, capable of attracting high calibre individuals and inter-disciplinary teams who, through their immersion and observation of real needs in their immersive environment and the use of a design methodology, will be supported to generate product and process ideas, new IP and in some cases, the creation of high- potential-start-ups (HPSUs) from research.
These programmes will build on existing international and national best practice connecting on multiple levels with the industry sector clusters in the NWR.

The approach is modelled on the success of an exemplar immersive needs-led innovation training programme in the medical devices sector in Galway.
Strategic Procurement and Environmentally Sustainable Solutions EN 21 EN The Managing Authority will promote the strategic use of public procurement to support actions under this Specific Objective, including professionalisation efforts to address capacity gaps.

Beneficiaries will be encouraged to use more quality-related and lifecycle cost criteria.
When feasible, environmental (e.g., green public procurement criteria) and social considerations as well as innovation incentives will be incorporated into public procurement procedures.

The selection of projects will be made based on criteria that take into account the most environmentally sustainable solutions.

These criteria shall be adapted to the nature of the intervention and applied as widely as possible.
Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) Analysis A DNSH analysis has been carried out at the level of the types of actions defined above and it has been determined that these actions would do no significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
The main target groups - point (d)(iii) of Article 22(3) CPR: Research Performing Organisations (RPOs), with a particular focus on the new Atlantic Technological University and the broader research community in the region make up the main target group.

The non-financial supports provided by the beneficiaries to enterprises in the region will target Small and Medium Enterprises, including microenterprises, with some actions targeting the creation of spin-outs and high potential start-ups (HPSUs).
Non-financial supports will also benefit some large enterprises and multinational companies in the region as the beneficiaries have an important role to play in increasing the collaboration between indigenous enterprises and multinational companies in RD&I.
Actions safeguarding equality, inclusion and non-discrimination – point (d)(iv) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation In line with horizontal principles, the programme considers the EU Charter of fundamental rights gender equality, non-discrimination, including accessibility, as well as other Horizontal Enabling conditions of relevance throughout the whole programming cycle.
EN 22 EN Stakeholders representing gender, equality, disability, immigrant, and minority groups have been included in the programme design stage through membership of the Partnership Process Steering Group and as part of the public consultations that have taken place.
The programme will adhere to the best practice recommendations during implementation of the programme, throughout the preparation, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of programmes by ensuring that equality between men and women, gender mainstreaming and the integration of a gender perspective are taken into account and promoted.
Simultaneously, the programme will take appropriate steps to prevent any discrimination based on gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Ireland's "Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty" provides an important framework for implementing the horizontal principles.
The assessment of equality and human rights issues required under the Duty provides a key framework to assist in ensuring initiatives include the appropriate actions and processes necessary to fully respect the horizontal principles.

The programme will have access to and make use of the Equality and Human Rights in CPR Programming Guidance Tool.
The guidance tool was published in 2022 and provides a practical and bespoke support for Managing Authorities, Intermediate Bodies and Beneficiary Bodies under CPR programmes in Ireland which outlines compliance requirements under Irish national law as well as CPR adherence.

During implementation, key stakeholders such as human rights bodies will be represented on the Programme Monitoring Committee.
Funding calls involving public bodies will be subject to implementation of the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty through an assessment of the relevant equality and human rights issues and a review to ensure an adequate and appropriate response to issues.

Indication of the specific territories targeted, including the planned use of territorial tools – point (d)(v) of Article 22(3) CPR Supported actions will take place throughout the two NUT2 regions in the programme area.
No territorial tools will be used under this specific objective.

The interregional, cross-border and transnational actions – point (d)(vi) of Article 22(3) CPR Action RSO1.1.1 and Action RSO1.1.2 will empower the new Atlantic Technological University to realise its potential in the region and beyond, building on its distinctive RD&I capability and increasing its collaboration with enterprise.
These actions will help build a pipeline of RD&I projects and EN 23 EN investment, including, funding under Horizon Europe.

Ireland performed well under Horizon 2020, especially when adjusting for the size of our research base, nearly 18,000 applications were submitted across all work programmes, with a success rate of 14.7% against an EU average of 12%.

Irish SMEs were particularly successful, with nearly 5,000 applications securing over €300 million.
The ATUs’ increased RD&I capacity and increased engagement with industry will allow them to play their part at a regional level in meeting the national target for Horizon Europe of €1.5 billion, as set out in Impact 2030: Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy (2022).

It also creates significant opportunities under Interreg programmes, for example, Interreg Northwest Europe, Interreg Europe and PEACE Plus.
Action RSO1.1.3 will strengthen knowledge transfer across the entire HEI sector in the region and together with Action RSO1.1.4 and RSO1.1.5 which will build capacity in the SME and HEI base to identify funding sources and to prepare professional and robust applications for competitive international R&D funding applciations.
Collectively, the full suite of actions under RSO1.1 will help researchers and innovators here to work with the best globally, with a particular focus on existing European collaborations, and on advancing Ireland’s international research and innovation footprint.
They will support Irish enterprises to adopt the latest advances in green and digital technological breakthroughs, leading to greater technological take-up and more HPSUs and spinouts with the ability to grow, scale and compete on international markets across Ireland’s regions.
The planned use of financial instruments – point (d)(vii) of Article 22(3) CPR The selected form of support for all actions under PO1 is grants as none of the supported actions are expected to generate a return during their lifetime.

The use of financial instruments would therefore not be feasible as a form of support and would not be attractive to potential beneficiaries.

2.1.1.1.2.
Indicators Reference: point (d)(ii) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 8 ERDF and CF Regulation Table 2: Output indicators Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region ID Indicator Measurement unit Milestone (2024) Target (2029) P1 RSO1.1 ERDF Transition RCO01 Enterprises supported (of which: micro, small, medium, large) enterprises 184.00 962.00 EN 24 EN P1 P1 P1 RSO1.1 RSO1.1 RSO1.1 ERDF Transition RCO04 Enterprises with non-financial support ERDF Transition RCO05 New enterprises supported ERDF Transition RCO07 Research organisations participating in joint research projects enterprises enterprises Research organisations 184.00 962.00 8.00 3.00 60.00 4.00 P1 RSO1.1 ERDF Transition PSO01 Number of Fellows completing a needs-led innovation training participants 12.00 72.00 programme Reference: point (d)(ii) of Article 22(3) CPR Table 3: Result indicators Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region ID Indicator Measurement unit Baseline or reference value Reference Year Target (2029) Source of data Comments P1 RSO1.1 ERDF Transition RCR03 Small and medium-sized enterprises enterprises 0.00 2021 320.00 Supported (SMEs) introducing product or process innovation Projects P1 RSO1.1 ERDF Transition RCR06 Patent applications submitted patent applications 0.00 2021 6.00 Supported Projects P1 RSO1.1 ERDF Transition PSR01 Annual Number of Licences, Options and LOAs per annum 12.00 2021 16.00 Supported KT boost Assignments in funded HEIs projects P1 RSO1.1 ERDF Transition PSR02 Number of spin-outs created dependent spin-outs 0.00 2021 14.00 Supported on IP from the HEI projects P1 RSO1.1 ERDF Transition PSR03 Licensed Technologies intellectual property licenses 0.00 2021 16.00 Supported projects P1 RSO1.1 ERDF Transition PSR04 Assignments Assignments 0.00 2021 2.00 Supported projects 2.1.1.1.3.
Indicative breakdown of the programmed resources (EU) by type of intervention Reference: point (d)(viii) of Article 22(3) CPR Table 4: Dimension 1 - intervention field EN 25 EN Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region P1 RSO1.1 ERDF Transition 012.
Research and innovation activities in public research centres, higher education and centres of competence including networking (industrial research, experimental development, feasibility studies) 41,034,039.00 Code Amount (EUR) P1 P1 RSO1.1 ERDF Transition 028.
Technology transfer and cooperation between enterprises, research centres and higher education sector 5,898,240.00 RSO1.1 Total 46,932,279.00 Table 5: Dimension 2 - form of financing Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) P1 P1 RSO1.1 RSO1.1 ERDF Total Transition 01.
Grant 46,932,279.00 46,932,279.00 Table 6: Dimension 3 – territorial delivery mechanism and territorial focus Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) P1 P1 RSO1.1 RSO1.1 ERDF Transition 33.
Other approaches - No territorial targeting Total 46,932,279.00 46,932,279.00 Table 7: Dimension 6 – ESF+ secondary themes Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) Table 8: Dimension 7 – ESF+*, ERDF, Cohesion Fund and JTF gender equality dimension Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) P1 P1 RSO1.1 RSO1.1 ERDF Transition 02.

Gender mainstreaming Total * In principle, 40 % for the ESF+ contributes to gender tracking.
100 % is applicable when Member State chooses to use Article 6 ESF+ EN 26 46,932,279.00 46,932,279.00 EN 2.1.1.1.

Specific objective: RSO1.3.

Enhancing sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs, including by productive investments (ERDF) 2.1.1.1.1.
Interventions of the Funds Reference: points (d)(i), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (vii) of Article 22(3) CPR The related types of actions – point (d)(i) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation: The following types of action (TOA) will be taken under this priority to enhance sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs, including by productive investment, in the programme area.
Selection of operations will be tailored to regional needs and will support investments that are in line with the S3 strategy and the three Regional Enterprise Plans within the programme area.

These plans were developed in each region by a committee of key regional and national actors from Industry, Academia, Community and the Public Sector.

Many of the actions proposed within these plans build on the existing regional strengths and on key industrial and academic infrastructure in the region.
Where there is a clear need for new programmes or capital infrastructure to support the needs identified, the Programme aims to address these needs through the actions set out below and lays the foundation for delivery of results for future regional enterprise plans.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE), engaging closely with the Regional Assembly and with Enterprise Ireland, will commission further independent analysis at NUTS II level to identify opportunities and deficiencies in the regional enterprise ecosystem.

This will strengthen the evidence-base for the selection of operations and the optimal allocation of ERDF funding during programme implementation.
Strengthening and developing functional regional ecosystems that support innovation diffusion, enterprise innovation and entrepreneurship in the region Action RSO1.3.1: Provide appropriate infrastructure and key staff resources to deliver innovative solutions including support programmes to support entrepreneurship, start-ups and scaling companies.

This will include: 1.


Delivery of small to medium scale regional projects (with minimum or no building requirements) or expansion of existing regional ecosystem projects.

2.

Scoping and preparing new large-scale regional projects, e.g., design and planning, project development, recruitment of key managers.

3.

Delivery of large-scale regional capital investment projects that provide key strategic infrastructural solutions to support the regional ecosystem.
EN 27 EN • This action will be delivered through competitive calls with specific funding strands for small and medium sized projects and larger-scale capital projects.

Regional strengthening projects will generally be small or medium sized, while strategic change projects will be large-scale in nature.
• Small and medium sized projects will involve the delivery of small to medium scale regional strengthening activities with minimum or no building requirements or expansion of existing regional ecosystem projects.

These projects will provide appropriate infrastructure and key staff resources to deliver innovative solutions including support programmes to provide impetus for entrepreneurship, start-ups and scaling companies.
Projects of this scale will also be supported to carry out preparatory work for new large-scale regional projects, e.g., design and planning, project development, recruitment of key managers.

• Larger-scale capital projects will involve delivery of significant regionally based capital investment projects that provide key strategic infrastructural solutions to support the regional innovation ecosystem.
The scope of such strategic change projects may be inter-regional and national exemplar facilities and Centres of Excellence based around and supported by regional industrial leaders.

Such projects would provide additional incubation capacity and a physical base for collaborative industrial innovation projects, clustering, training and networking and should have national or potential international reach.
Funding will support both capital investment (e.g., construction, refurbishment, fit-out) and non-capital investment (e.g., recruitment, staffing, consultancy, and indirect costs etc.).

• This action will be targeted at strategic regional locations where an identifiable deficit exists in key infrastructure which is necessary to develop functional regional ecosystems which can support this client base.
Competitive funding calls will include a strong requirement to demonstrate the need for the proposed capital intervention, at a regional and national level and aligned with S3 and the Regional Enterprise Plans.

The specific evaluation criteria will require each case to demonstrate evidence of this need, along with evidence of widespread regional support and collaboration.
Evidence of viability and durability of the proposed capital project, its innovation intensity and extent of incubator services proposed will also be evaluated in the selection process.

• The degree of justification required for large scale strategic change projects may in itself require the support of consultants, architects, academics, etc.

to validate the economic need for and the case for viability of the proposed capital project.
To that end it is proposed to offer support for a scoping study to support substantial project development of such potential large-scale projects.

This will assist the project team to prepare and justify the case for evaluation at a subsequent competitive call and support development of a pipeline of potential large-scale projects over the duration of the funding allocation.
• Projects must be collaborative in nature, they must be innovative, viable and sustainable with metrics and KPI’s which provide additionality to the existing regional infrastructure.

• Projects will complement the solutions provided by the existing regional providers including higher education institutions, state agencies and private sector entities at a regional level.
Strategic Procurement and Environmentally Sustainable Solutions The Managing Authority will promote the strategic use of public procurement to support actions under this Specific Objective, including professionalisation efforts to address capacity gaps.

Beneficiaries will be encouraged to use more quality-related and lifecycle cost criteria.
When feasible, environmental (e.g., EN 28 EN green public procurement criteria) and social considerations as well as innovation incentives will be incorporated into public procurement procedures.

The selection of projects will be made based on criteria that take into account the most environmentally sustainable solutions.

These criteria shall be adapted to the nature of the intervention and applied as widely as possible.
Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) Analysis A DNSH analysis has been carried out at the level of the types of actions defined above and it has been determined that these actions would do no significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
The main target groups - point (d)(iii) of Article 22(3) CPR: The main target beneficiaries for the actions under RSO1.3 are groups and clusters of SMEs that are involved in a collaborative proposal with other local and regional stakeholders, to build and improve regional innovation ecosystems.

Funding of these clusters will typically be delivered through Designated Activity Companies (DACs) - not-for profit entities that are established to develop and deliver these collaborative proposals and projects.
The other local and regional stakeholders may include industry groups, community development groups and public bodies, such as Local Authorities, Higher Education Institutes and other agencies of the State.

The non-financial supports provided by the beneficiaries to enterprises in the region will target small and medium enterprises, in particular start-ups and scaling companies.
Actions safeguarding equality, inclusion and non-discrimination – point (d)(iv) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation Please refer to details already provided under 'Actions safeguarding equality, inclusion and non-discrimination – point (d)(iv) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation' under RSO1.1.
Indication of the specific territories targeted, including the planned use of territorial tools – point (d)(v) of Article 22(3) CPR EN 29 EN Supported actions will take place throughout the two NUT2 regions in the programme area.

No territorial tools will be used under this specific objective.
The interregional, cross-border and transnational actions – point (d)(vi) of Article 22(3) CPR Action RSO1.3.1 will see regionally based SME businesses working collaboratively with other partners to embrace digitisation, green economy opportunities, and relevant technological advances.

In doing so, it will improve their competitiveness and potential for growth and internationalisation.
For the NWR, this support will specially aid small towns and villages, particularly in geographical areas that suffer from deprivation, depopulation or high vacancy rates.

RSO1.3.1 will also complement the new European Digital Innovation Hub (targeting Agri & Bio-based Food, Marine & Aquaculture, Meditech & Lifesciences, Manufacturing & Engineering, Construction, Tourism & Public Services).
Action RSO1.3.1 supports the identification of regional sectoral strengths, capabilities and opportunities through the Regional Enterprise Plans and will provide an important platform for future cluster development initiatives.
These clusters can maximise the development of international business linkages at EU level and beyond, on a cluster-to-cluster basis including through EU Strategic Value Chains and associated Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) and through the development of all-island and cross-border clusters.

Ultimately this will ensure continued development of current industrial clusters, particularly in high value industries operating in the “Technology and Knowledge Intensive” economy.
The planned use of financial instruments – point (d)(vii) of Article 22(3) CPR The selected form of support for all actions under PO1 is grants as none of the supported actions are expected to generate a return during their lifetime.

The use of financial instruments would therefore not be feasible as a form of support and would not be attractive to potential beneficiaries.

2.1.1.1.2.
Indicators Reference: point (d)(ii) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 8 ERDF and CF Regulation Table 2: Output indicators Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region ID Indicator Measurement unit Milestone (2024) Target (2029) P1 P1 RSO1.3 RSO1.3 EN ERDF Transition RCO01 Enterprises supported (of which: micro, small, medium, large) enterprises ERDF Transition RCO04 Enterprises with non-financial support enterprises 30 72.00 72.00 576.00 576.00 EN P1 P1 RSO1.3 RSO1.3 ERDF Transition RCO05 New enterprises supported ERDF Transition RCO15 Capacity of incubation created enterprises enterprises 18.00 10.00 144.00 288.00 Reference: point (d)(ii) of Article 22(3) CPR Table 3: Result indicators Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region ID Indicator Measurement unit Baseline or reference value Reference Year Target (2029) Source of data Comments P1 RSO1.3 ERDF Transition RCR03 Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) enterprises 0.00 2021 288.00 EI introducing product or process innovation P1 RSO1.3 ERDF Transition RCR18 SMEs using incubator services after enterprises/year 0.00 2021 260.00 EI incubator creation 2.1.1.1.3.
Indicative breakdown of the programmed resources (EU) by type of intervention Reference: point (d)(viii) of Article 22(3) CPR Table 4: Dimension 1 - intervention field Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region P1 RSO1.3 ERDF Transition P1 RSO1.3 Total Table 5: Dimension 2 - form of financing Code Amount (EUR) 026.
Support for innovation clusters including between businesses, research organisations and public authorities and business networks primarily benefiting SMEs 18,432,724.00 18,432,724.00 Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) P1 P1 RSO1.3 RSO1.3 ERDF Total Transition 01.
Grant Table 6: Dimension 3 – territorial delivery mechanism and territorial focus EN 31 18,432,724.00 18,432,724.00 EN Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) P1 P1 RSO1.3 RSO1.3 ERDF Transition 33.
Other approaches - No territorial targeting Total 18,432,724.00 18,432,724.00 Table 7: Dimension 6 – ESF+ secondary themes Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) Table 8: Dimension 7 – ESF+*, ERDF, Cohesion Fund and JTF gender equality dimension Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) P1 P1 RSO1.3 RSO1.3 ERDF Transition 02.

Gender mainstreaming Total 18,432,724.00 18,432,724.00 * In principle, 40 % for the ESF+ contributes to gender tracking.
100 % is applicable when Member State chooses to use Article 6 ESF+ EN 32 EN 2.1.1.

Priority: P2.

Improving Energy Efficiency in the Northern and Western Region 2.1.1.1.

Specific objective: RSO2.1.

Promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (ERDF) 2.1.1.1.1.
Interventions of the Funds Reference: points (d)(i), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (vii) of Article 22(3) CPR The related types of actions – point (d)(i) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation: The following types of action will be taken under this priority to promote energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the programme area.
Improving the energy efficiency of residential homes and reducing the risk and prevalence of energy poverty in our region Action RSO 2.1.1: Support the delivery of energy efficiency renovations free of charge to owner-occupied lower-income households who meet the defined eligibility criteria and who are in or are vulnerable to energy poverty.
This action will use learnings from similar actions in the 2014-2020 programming period and will: 1.Retrofit homes with the aim to achieve, on average, at least a medium-depth level renovation.

2.Pilot the installation of heat pumps in existing premises, to replace older less efficient heating systems.

3.Gather evidence from the pilot to inform the appropriate process and approach to increasing the number of B2 upgrades and heat pump installations going forward.
4.Provide an evidence base to improve the targeting of energy efficiency schemes.

5.Examine the impact of retrofitting on alleviating energy poverty.

ERDF resources will be focused on “Deep Heat Renovations” to include attic insulation, cavity insulation, external and internal wall insulation, new heating systems and where appropriate replacement windows, draught proofing, lagging jackets and energy efficient lighting.

The exact measures will be based on a technical assessment of each property.
Resource efficient building materials and recycling building materials will be encouraged where feasible.

Selection of eligible properties will be prioritised based firstly on applications received prior to 14th February 2022 and then by worst performing BER of E, F and G homes built before 1995 with an objective to concentrate resources on the properties where the greatest impact can be achieved.
Pre-works and post-works BERs will be required for all homes renovated in order to ensure the reliability and accuracy of indicator data.

EN 33 EN Learning from the Interreg Europe ERNACT project will also be used to support the evaluation of impact on energy poverty.
The Managing Authority will establish a Communications Working Group to include the ERDF Communications Officers from both Regional Programmes together with representatives of DECC and the beneficiary to agree on an approach and action plan to improving the visibility of ERDF supports.
Strategic Procurement and Environmentally Sustainable Solutions The Managing Authority will promote the strategic use of public procurement to support actions under this Specific Objective, including professionalisation efforts to address capacity gaps.

Beneficiaries will be encouraged to use more quality-related and lifecycle cost criteria.
When feasible, environmental (e.g., green public procurement criteria) and social considerations as well as innovation incentives will be incorporated into public procurement procedures.The selection of projects will be made based on criteria that take into account the most environmentally sustainable solutions.

These criteria shall be adapted to the nature of the intervention and applied as widely as possible.
Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) Analysis A DNSH analysis has been carried out at the level of the types of actions defined above and it has been determined that these actions would do no significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
The following types of action will be taken under this priority to foster integrated and inclusive social, economic and environmental development, culture, natural heritage, sustainable tourism, and security in urban areas within the NWR.

The main target groups - point (d)(iii) of Article 22(3) CPR: The beneficiaries of the actions supported will be lower income homeowners in the programme area who are in, or are vulnerable to, energy poverty.
The criteria will be kept under review and may be modified during the lifetime of the programme to support optimal targeting of households vulnerable to energy poverty.

The IB of ERDF funding will be SEAI – Ireland's national sustainable energy authority.

SEAI will be awarded funding through a non-competitive call and will use public procurement to deliver the supported actions at scale within the programme area.
Energy efficiency works will be carried out by a panel of contractors (including community-based organisations) appointed by SEAI following a public procurement process.

The scale up of investment will support job creation in SMEs and community-based organisations in the programme area.
EN 34 EN Actions safeguarding equality, inclusion and non-discrimination – point (d)(iv) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation Please refer to details already provided under 'Actions safeguarding equality, inclusion and non-discrimination – point (d)(iv) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation' under RSO1.1.
Indication of the specific territories targeted, including the planned use of territorial tools – point (d)(v) of Article 22(3) CPR Supported actions will take place throughout the two NUT2 regions in the programme area.

No territorial tools will be used under this specific objective.
The interregional, cross-border and transnational actions – point (d)(vi) of Article 22(3) CPR The design, implementation and evaluation of Action RSO2.1.1 provides significant opportunities for interregional, cross-border and transnational learning and collaborative projects.

The action can build on learning from current Interreg projects, for example the Interreg Europe CLEAN project, and it will create opportunities for new transnational projects under Interreg and other EU programmes.
The Managing Authority will be working with key actors at local, regional and national level, including SEAI.

SEAI is the EU Horizon 2020 national delegate for Societal Challenge 3 – Secure, Clean & Efficient Energy where their role is to identify research priorities in Europe and also represent Ireland at international fora, including the Energy Agency, EU and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
This opens up opportunities to collaborate with these actors on a range of design, implementation and evaluation activities and to promote the adoption of the latest advances in green and digital technology.

The planned use of financial instruments – point (d)(vii) of Article 22(3) CPR EN 35 EN The selected form of support is grants.
While a financial instrument will be used under the NRRP to make comprehensive home energy efficiency upgrades more affordable to middle- and high-income households and noncorporate landlords, this form of support is not considered suitable for low-income households at risk of energy poverty.

Government policy is to provide free home energy upgrades for this category of homeowner.

2.1.1.1.2.
Indicators Reference: point (d)(ii) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 8 ERDF and CF Regulation Table 2: Output indicators Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region ID Indicator Measurement unit Milestone (2024) Target (2029) P2 RSO2.1 ERDF Transition RCO18 Dwellings with improved energy peformance dwellings 259.00 1,294.00 Reference: point (d)(ii) of Article 22(3) CPR Table 3: Result indicators Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region ID Indicator Measurement unit Baseline or reference value Reference Year Target (2029) Source of data Comments P2 RSO2.1 ERDF Transition RCR26 Annual primary energy consumption (of which: dwellings, public buildings, enterprises, other) MWh/year 49,150.00 2019 28,062.00 SEAI Savings are estimated on the basis of calculated EPC (BER) values for both baseline and savings P2 RSO2.1 ERDF Transition RCR29 Estimated greenhouse emissions tonnes CO2 eq./year 10,518.00 2019 6,086.00 SEAI 2.1.1.1.3.
Indicative breakdown of the programmed resources (EU) by type of intervention Reference: point (d)(viii) of Article 22(3) CPR Table 4: Dimension 1 - intervention field EN 36 EN Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region P2 RSO2.1 ERDF Transition P2 RSO2.1 Total Table 5: Dimension 2 - form of financing 042.
Energy efficiency renovation of existing housing stock, demonstration projects and supporting measures compliant with energy efficiency criteria Code Amount (EUR) 39,071,565.00 39,071,565.00 Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) P2 P2 RSO2.1 RSO2.1 ERDF Total Transition 01.
Grant 39,071,565.00 39,071,565.00 Table 6: Dimension 3 – territorial delivery mechanism and territorial focus Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) P2 P2 RSO2.1 RSO2.1 ERDF Transition 33.
Other approaches - No territorial targeting Total 39,071,565.00 39,071,565.00 Table 7: Dimension 6 – ESF+ secondary themes Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) Table 8: Dimension 7 – ESF+*, ERDF, Cohesion Fund and JTF gender equality dimension Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) P2 P2 RSO2.1 RSO2.1 ERDF Total Transition 03.

Gender neutral * In principle, 40 % for the ESF+ contributes to gender tracking.
100 % is applicable when Member State chooses to use Article 6 ESF+ EN 37 39,071,565.00 39,071,565.00 EN 2.1.1.

Priority: P3.

Integrated Sustainable Urban Development of the Northern and Western Region 2.1.1.1.

Specific objective: RSO5.1.

Fostering the integrated and inclusive social, economic and environmental development, culture, natural heritage, sustainable tourism, and security in urban areas (ERDF) 2.1.1.1.1.
Interventions of the Funds Reference: points (d)(i), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (vii) of Article 22(3) CPR The related types of actions – point (d)(i) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation: The following types of action will be taken under this priority to foster integrated and inclusive social, economic and environmental development, culture, natural heritage, sustainable tourism, and security in urban areas within the NWR.
Supporting locally lead and locally selected projects that take an integrated strategic approach to the regeneration of our towns, using a Town Centre First (TCF) Health Check framework to gather data, develop action plans and lead actions on regeneration • Action RSO5.1.1: Prepare integrated urban regeneration action plans / masterplans (either using procured multi disciplinary service or short term contract within the Local Authority for required skills) which identify projects and initiatives tackling town centre regeneration, placemaking, vacancy and dereliction.
• Action RSO5.1.2: Deliver pilot and pathfinder projects for selected towns (priority for Key Towns or other settlements as justified by the Local Authority under selection criteria) tackling town centre regeneration, placemaking, vacancy and dereliction.

This will involve capital investment and may include public realm improvement projects.

The relevant Local Authority in which the town is located will be responsible for the production of the plans identified in Action above.
These plans will meet the requirements of integrated territorial strategies as defined in CPR Article 29.

The plans will be prepared in collaboration with the local community through direct engagement and through undertaking research and analysis of the town.

Expertise from across multiple policy areas will be used in the development of the plans, including, housing, planning, conservation, sustainable urban design, building vacancy, environmental, community and economic development.
Pilot and pathfinder projects will be selected by the Local Authorities on the basis of their readiness to commence and those that are at an advanced stage in the Town Centre First process i.e., data gathering and analysis phase complete and/or Towns Centre First plans already developed and/or Town Teams already in place.
These pilot and pathfinder projects will assist in informing the approach for other towns at earlier stages in the process and who have historically demonstrated a lower capacity to leverage investment opportunities.

EN 38 EN The Managing Authority will work closely with the DHLGH, the relevant Regional and Local Authorities, the Town Teams and local communities to ensure visibility of EU funds in the selected towns and the wider region.

This will include capacity building and communications support.
Strategic Procurement and Environmentally Sustainable Solutions The Managing Authority will promote the strategic use of public procurement to support actions under this Specific Objective, including professionalisation efforts to address capacity gaps.

Beneficiaries will be encouraged to use more quality-related and lifecycle cost criteria.
When feasible, environmental (e.g., green public procurement criteria) and social considerations as well as innovation incentives will be incorporated into public procurement procedures.

The selection of projects will be made based on criteria that take into account the most environmentally sustainable solutions.

These criteria shall be adapted to the nature of the intervention and applied as widely as possible.
New European Bauhaus The New European Bauhaus initiative connects the European Green Deal to our daily lives and living spaces.

It calls on all Europeans to imagine and build together a sustainable and inclusive future that is beautiful for our eyes, minds, and souls.

The type of actions set out above are in line with the New European Bauhaus initiative and provide opportunities to realize beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive projects through the Programme.
Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) Analysis A DNSH analysis has been carried out at the level of the types of actions defined above and it has been determined that these actions would do no significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
The main target groups - point (d)(iii) of Article 22(3) CPR: Local Authorities are the public bodies with primary responsibility for sustainable and integrated urban development and implementation of the Town Centre First policy within the programme area.
EN 39 EN Other agencies of the State, local and regional enterprises, property owners, private citizens, and other local and regional stakeholders, that will collaborate with Local Authorities in the development and implementation of integrated urban development strategies.
The Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies have a pre existing settlement hierarchy that could allow us target priority areas, including: Regional Growth Centres: Letterkenny population 19,300 Sligo population 19,200 Key Towns: Ballina population 10,200 Castlebar population 12,100 Cavan population 10,900 Ballinasloe population 6,700 Carrick-on-Shannon population 4,100 Monaghan population 7,700 Roscommon population 5,900 Tuam population 8,800 Actions safeguarding equality, inclusion and non-discrimination – point (d)(iv) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation Please refer to details already provided under 'Actions safeguarding equality, inclusion and non-discrimination – point (d)(iv) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 6 ESF+ Regulation' under RSO1.1.
Indication of the specific territories targeted, including the planned use of territorial tools – point (d)(v) of Article 22(3) CPR EN 40 EN Supported actions will be targeted towards key towns and regional growth centres in the programme area.

Integrated territorial strategies will be used under this specific objective.

These will take the form of "territorial tool supporting initiatives designed by the Member State" pursuant to point (c) of Article 28 CPR.
The interregional, cross-border and transnational actions – point (d)(vi) of Article 22(3) CPR The main target beneficiaries for Action RSO5.1.1 – Local Authorities in the programme area – have been actively involved in over 100 interregional, cross-border and transnational projects during the current programming period as partners and stakeholders including PEACE IV Northern Ireland – Ireland, Interreg Northern Ireland – Ireland - Scotland, Interreg Europe, Interreg Atlantic Area, Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic, Interreg North West Europe, Creative Europe, Horizon 2020, URBACT III, ESPON and EU Life.
Many of these projects, e.g., AtlanticOnBike, North West Greenway Network, Ulster Canal Greenway, North West Transport Hub, CatchmentCARE, CINE, HIVE, SARURE and Spot-Lit, focused on improving placemaking, sustainable transport, promotion of Culture & Heritage, biodiversity and town centre regeneration.
The knowledge, expertise and innovations gained by the beneficiaries through their past participation in these projects together with their future participation in similar projects will support interregional, cross-border and transnational learning and activities.

The planned use of financial instruments – point (d)(vii) of Article 22(3) CPR The selected form of support for all actions under PO5 is grants.

None of the supported actions are expected to generate a return.
The use of financial instruments would therefore not be feasible as a form of support and would not be attractive to potential beneficiaries.

2.1.1.1.2.
Indicators Reference: point (d)(ii) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 8 ERDF and CF Regulation Table 2: Output indicators Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region ID Indicator Measurement unit Milestone (2024) Target (2029) P3 RSO5.1 ERDF Transition RCO75 Strategies for integrated territorial development supported contributions to strategies 2.00 EN 41 5.00 EN P3 P3 RSO5.1 RSO5.1 ERDF Transition RCO76 Integrated projects for territorial development projects ERDF Transition RCO114 Open space created or rehabilitated in urban areas square metres 2.00 5.00 0.00 25,529.00 Reference: point (d)(ii) of Article 22(3) CPR Table 3: Result indicators Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region ID Indicator Measurement unit Baseline or reference value Reference Year Target (2029) Source of data Comments P3 RSO5.1 ERDF Transition PSR05 Perceived impact of supported projects on Score 0.00 2022 3.00 Survey revitalisation of town centres 2.1.1.1.3.
Indicative breakdown of the programmed resources (EU) by type of intervention Reference: point (d)(viii) of Article 22(3) CPR Table 4: Dimension 1 - intervention field Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code P3 P3 P3 RSO5.1 RSO5.1 RSO5.1 ERDF Transition 168.

Physical regeneration and security of public spaces ERDF Transition 169.
Territorial development initiatives, including preparation of territorial strategies Total Amount (EUR) 17,079,980.00 1,350,000.00 18,429,980.00 Table 5: Dimension 2 - form of financing Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) P3 P3 RSO5.1 RSO5.1 ERDF Total Transition 01.
Grant 18,429,980.00 18,429,980.00 Table 6: Dimension 3 – territorial delivery mechanism and territorial focus Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) EN 42 EN P3 P3 RSO5.1 RSO5.1 ERDF Transition 18.
Other type of territorial tool - Cities, towns and suburbs Total 18,429,980.00 18,429,980.00 Table 7: Dimension 6 – ESF+ secondary themes Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) Table 8: Dimension 7 – ESF+*, ERDF, Cohesion Fund and JTF gender equality dimension Priority Specific objective Fund Category of region Code Amount (EUR) P3 P3 RSO5.1 RSO5.1 ERDF Total Transition 03.
Gender neutral 18,429,980.00 18,429,980.00 * In principle, 40 % for the ESF+ contributes to gender tracking.

100 % is applicable when Member State chooses to use Article 6 ESF+ EN 43 EN 2.2.

Technical assistance priorities EN 44 EN 3. Financing plan Reference: points (g)(i), (ii) and (iii) of Article 22(3), Article 112(1), (2) and (3), and Articles 14 and 26 CPR 3.1.
Transfers and contributions (1) Reference: Articles 14, 26 and 27 CPR Programme amendment related to transfer to instruments under direct or indirect management transfer between ERDF, ESF+, Cohesion Fund or to another Fund or Funds contribution to InvestEU (1) Applicable only to programme amendments in accordance with Articles 14 and 26 except complementary transfers to the JTF in accordance with Article 27 CPR.
Transfers shall not affect the annual breakdown of financial appropriations at the MFF level for a Member State.

Table 15A: Contributions to InvestEU* (breakdown by year) Contribution from Contribution to Breakdown by year Fund Category of region InvestEU window 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 Total * For each new request for contribution, a programme amendment shall set out the total amounts for each year by Fund and by category of region.
Table 15B: Contributions to InvestEU* (summary) Fund Category of region Sustainable Infrastructure (a) Innovation and Digitisation (b) SME (c) Social Investment and Skills (d) Total (e)=(a)+(b)+(c)+(d) Total * Cumulative amounts for all contributions done through programme amendments during the programming period.

With each new request for contribution, a programme amendment shall set out the total amounts for each year by Fund and by category of region.
EN 45 EN Justification, taking into account how those amounts contribute to the achievement of policy objectives selected in the programme in accordance with Article 10(1) of the InvestEU Regulation Table 16A: Transfers to instruments under direct or indirect management (breakdown by year) Transfers from Transfers to Breakdown by year Fund Category of region Instrument 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 Total Table 16B: Transfers to instruments under direct or indirect management* (summary) Fund Total Category of region Total * Cumulative amounts for all transfers done through programme amendments during programming period.
With each new request for transfer, a programme amendment shall set out the total amounts transferred for each year by Fund and by category of region.

Transfers to instruments under direct or indirect management - Justification Table 17A: Transfers between ERDF, ESF+ and Cohesion Fund or to another Fund or Funds* (breakdown by year) Transfers from Transfers to Breakdown by year Fund Category of region Fund Category of region 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 Total * Transfer to other programmes.
Transfers between ERDF and ESF+ can only be done within the same category of region.

EN 46 EN Table 17B: Transfers between ERDF, ESF+ and Cohesion Fund or to another Fund or Funds (summary) ERDF ESF+ More developed Transition Less developed More developed Transition Less developed CF EMFAF AMIF ISF BMVI Total Total * Cumulative amounts for all transfers done through programme amendments during the programming period.
With each new request for transfer, a programme amendment shall set out the total amounts transferred for each year by Fund and category of region.

Transfers between shared management funds, including between cohesion policy funds - Justification 3.2.

JTF: allocation in the programme and transfers (1) 3.3.
Transfers between categories of region resulting from the mid-term review Table 19A: Transfers between categories of region resulting from the mid-term review within the programme (breakdown by year) Transfers from Category of region* * Applicable to ERDF and ESF+ only Transfers to Breakdown by year Category of region* 2025 2026 2027 Total Table 19B: Transfers between categories of region resulting from the mid-term review, to other programmes (breakdown by year) Transfers from Category of region* * Applicable to ERDF and ESF+ only EN Transfers to Breakdown by year Category of region* 2025 2026 2027 Total 47 EN 3.4.
Transfers back (1) Table 20A: Transfers back (breakdown by year) Transfers from Transfers to Breakdown by year InvestEU or other Union instrument Fund Category of region 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 Total (1) Applicable only to programme amendments for resources transferred back from other Union instruments, including elements of AMIF, ISF and BMVI, under direct or indirect management, or from InvestEU.
Table 20B: Transfers back* (summary) From InvestEU / Instrument ERDF ESF+ To More developed Transition Developed More developed Transition Developed Cohesion Fund * Cumulative amounts for all transfers done through programme amendments during programming period.

With each new request for transfer, a programme amendment shall set out the total amounts transferred for each year by Fund and by category of region.

EN 48 EN 3.5.
Financial appropriations by year Reference: point (g)(i) of Article 22(3) CPR and Article 3, 4 and 7 JTF Regulation Table 10: Financial appropriations by year Fund Category of region 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 Financial appropriation without flexibility amount Flexibility amount Financial appropriation without flexibility amount Flexibility amount Total ERDF* Transition 22,829,819.00 23,133,035.00 23,442,442.00 23,758,035.00 10,186,715.00 10,186,715.00 8,350,889.00 8,350,889.00 130,238,539.00 Total ERDF Total * Amounts after the complementary transfer to the JTF.
22,829,819.00 23,133,035.00 23,442,442.00 23,758,035.00 10,186,715.00 10,186,715.00 8,350,889.00 8,350,889.00 130,238,539.00 22,829,819.00 23,133,035.00 23,442,442.00 23,758,035.00 10,186,715.00 10,186,715.00 8,350,889.00 8,350,889.00 130,238,539.00 EN 49 EN 3.6.
Total financial appropriations by fund and national co-financing Reference: point (g)(ii) of Article 22(3), Article 22(6) and Article 36 CPR For the Investment for jobs and growth goal: programmes using technical assistance according to Article 36(5) CPR in accordance with the choice made in the Partnership Agreement Table 11: Total financial allocations by fund and national contribution Breakdown of Union contribution Indicative breakdown of national contribution Policy / JTF specific objective number or technical assistance 1 2 5 Total Grand total Priority Basis for calculation Union support Fund Category of region* Union contribution (a)=(b)+(c)+(i)+(j) Union contribution Flexibilmity amount without technical assistance pursuant to Article 36(5) (b) for technical assistance pursuant to Article 36(5) (c) without technical assistance pursuant to Article 36(5) (i) for technical assistance pursuant to Article 36(5) (j) National contribution (d)=(e)+(f) Public (e) Private (f) Total (g)=(a)+(d) Co-financing rate (h)=(a)/(g) P1 P2 P3 Public Public Public ERDF ERDF ERDF ERDF Transition 69,286,903.00 55,646,752.00 3,338,805.00 9,718,251.00 583,095.00 46,191,269.00 46,191,269.00 115,478,172.00 59.9999998268% Transition 41,415,858.00 33,825,073.00 2,029,503.00 5,246,492.00 314,790.00 27,610,572.00 27,610,572.00 69,026,430.00 60.0000000000% Transition 19,535,778.00 15,906,418.00 954,384.00 2,523,562.00 151,414.00 13,023,852.00 13,023,852.00 32,559,630.00 60.0000000000% Transition 130,238,539.00 105,378,243.00 6,322,692.00 17,488,305.00 1,049,299.00 86,825,693.00 86,825,693.00 217,064,232.00 59.9999999079% 130,238,539.00 105,378,243.00 6,322,692.00 17,488,305.00 1,049,299.00 86,825,693.00 86,825,693.00 217,064,232.00 59.9999999079% * For ERDF and ESF+: less developed, transition, more developed, and, where applicable special allocation for outermost and northern sparsely populated regions.
For Cohesion Fund: not applicable.

For technical assistance, application of categories of region depends on the selection of the fund.

** Indicate the total JTF resources, including the complementary support transferred from the ERDF and the ESF+.

The table shall not include the amounts in accordance to Article 7 JTF Regulation.

In case of technical assistance financed from the JTF, the JTF resources should be split into resources related to Articles 3 and 4 JTF Regulation.
For Article 4 JTF Regulation, there is no flexibility amount.

EN 50 EN 4.

Enabling conditions Reference: point (i) of Article 22(3) CPR Table 12: Enabling conditions Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification 1.
Effective monitoring mechanisms of the public procurement market Yes Monitoring mechanisms are in Yes place that cover all public contracts and their procurement under the Funds in line with Union procurement legislation.

That requirement includes: 1.


Arrangements to ensure compilation of effective and reliable data on public procurement procedures above the Union thresholds in accordance with reporting obligations under Articles 83 and 84 of Directive 2014/24/EU and Articles 99 and 100 of Directive 2014/25/EU.
EN 51 National Public Procurement Policy Framework https://ogp.gov.ie/national-public- procurement-policy-framework/ The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) has responsibility for developing and setting out the overarching policy framework for public procurement in Ireland.
National Public Procurement Guidelines on Goods and Services https://ogp.gov.ie/public-procurement- guidelines-for-goods-and-services/ www.eTenders.gov.ie Capital Works Management Framework https://constructionprocurement.gov.ie/ DPER circular 13/2015 https://www.gov.ie/en/circular/2b0103e 70fec4127983d2c1e60e0546d/ This will be updated for 21-27 period.
The National Public Procurement Guidelines outline the responsibilities of contracting authorities to comply with monitoring and reporting arrangements in line with EU procurement legislation.

eTenders provides a central facility for advertisement of procurement opportunities and award notices across the public sector which is reported on by OGP.
The CWMF is an integrated set of contractual provisions, guidance material and technical procedures which covers all aspects of the delivery process of a public works project from inception to final project delivery and review.
As is noted in DPER circular 13/2015 on management and control procedures for ESIF, Managing Authorities, Intermediate Bodies and Beneficiaries EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification are responsible for ensuring that projects and operations are in compliance with Procurement Guidelines and EU legislation.
The National Public Procurement Guidelines for Goods and Services set out these arrangements on page 72-73.

Reports in relation to this directive are submitted to the Commission by the OGP as required.
Yes https://ogp.gov.ie/public-procurement- guidelines-for-goods-and-services/ https://www.etenders.gov.ie/Media/Defa ult/SiteContent/LegislationGuides/Circu lar_10_-_14_0.pdf Yes www.eTenders.gov.ie Report of the Interim Procurement Reform Board OGP analyses the data captured on eTenders and prepares Article 83 and Article 99 reports to the European Commission as required.

2.

Arrangements to ensure the data cover at least the following elements: a.
Quality and intensity of competition: names of winning bidder, number of initial bidders and contractual value; b.

Information on final price after completion and on participation of SMEs as direct bidders, where national systems provide such information.

3.

Arrangements to ensure monitoring and analysis of the data by the competent national authorities in accordance with article 83 (2) of directive 2014/24/EU and article 99 (2) of directive 2014/25/EU.

4.
4.

Arrangements to make the results of the analysis available to the public in accordance with article 83 (3) of directive 2014/24/EU and article 99 (3) directive 2014/25/EU.

52 Yes Public Service Spend and Tendering Analysis https://ogp.gov.ie/wp- content/uploads/OGP-2017-Public- The Report of the Interim Procurement Reform Board is published regularly and contains additional information.

Reports are published on the OGP website once finalised.
The OGP also publishes an annual Spend and Tendering Analysis report.

EN EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification Service-Spend-and-Tendering- Analysis.pdf Report of the Interim Procurement Reform Board The Report of the Interim Procurement Reform Board is published regularly and contains additional information.

5.
5.

Arrangements to ensure that all information pointing to suspected bid-rigging situations is communicated to the competent national bodies in accordance with Article 83(2) of Directive 2014/24/EU and Article 99(2) of Directive 2014/25/EU.
Yes https://ogp.gov.ie/public-procurement- guidelines-for-goods-and-services/ https://www.ccpc.ie/business/help-for- business/guidelines-for-business/bid- rigging-what-you-need-to-know/ Contracting Authorities must report suspected bid-rigging to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (see p. 19 of guidelines) The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is an independent statutory body with a dual mandate to enforce competition and consumer protection law in Ireland.
It regularly publishes information for consumers and businesses.

For example, it recently published a “Business Guide on Bid Rigging”.

Ireland’s Anti-Fraud Coordination Service (AFCOS) based in the EU and International Division of Dept of Finance are responsible for anti-fraud coordination for EU funds in Ireland.

2.

Tools and capacity for effective application of State aid rules EN Yes Managing authorities have the Yes tools and capacity to verify compliance with State aid rules: 1.
For undertakings in difficulty and undertakings under a recovery requirement.

53 https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/What-We- Do/EU-Internal-Market/EU-State-Aid- Rules/ A list of undertakings under a recovery requirement is available at Granting authorities will require that applicants for support from the funds confirm within the application process that they are not an undertaking in difficulty and that they are not subject to a recovery order.
Granting authorities may rely on accountants certificates, EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification https://competition- policy.ec.europa.eu/index_en published financial statements and databases (including Arachne) to verify as appropriate.

Published data on companies and registered charities (e.g., universities) will be consulted.
Companies Registration Office (CRO) https://www.cro.ie/en-ie/ Charities Regulator 2.

Through access to expert advice and guidance on State aid matters, provided by State aid experts of local or national bodies.
Yes https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/What-We- Do/EU-Internal-Market/EU-State-Aid- Rules/ GBER schemes are published on the website of the Granting Authority (and the relevant information is made available to the Commission as part the information note required within 20 Checks will be carried out and documented by the awarding bodies at the project selection stage and again as part of the management verification process as appropriate.
Applicants will be required to complete self-declarations and to provide supporting documents as appropriate.

Awarding bodies will be able to validate information against national databases (see above), accountant’s certificates and/or audit reports.

The Managing Authorities will review the checks carried out and documented at the level of the operation by the awarding bodies as part of the MA management verification process and using an approved sampling methodology.
The State Aid Unit in the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment (DETE) provides guidance on interpretation of state aid rules and state aid training.

EMFAF’s parent department and several ERDF intermediary bodies have in-house expertise in relation to State Aid.

EN 54 EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification days of the granting of aid under the scheme).
DETE is currently considering creating a centralised website for all GBER schemes.

DETE will provide advice, where relevant, on schemes at design stage and during the implementation phases of programmes.

Advice is available to all public service bodies and the unit operate a case management system to ensure service delivery.
If the issue is particularly complex or Managing Authority decide to seek another opinion they can deploy technical assistance to procure state aid advice including legal advice or specialist training.

The State Aid Unit will provide tailored training to Managing Authorities and public bodies delivering schemes upon request subject to capacity.

The Interdepartmental Committee on State Aid is a state aid network, which includes Managing Authorities, shares information and knowledge.

3.
3.

Effective application and implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights Yes Effective mechanisms are in place to ensure compliance with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union ('the Charter') which include: 1.

Arrangements to ensure compliance of the programmes supported by the Funds and their implementation with the relevant provisions of the Charter.

Yes Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 The MA will ensure compliance with the Charter in all Funds.
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2014/ act/25/enacted/en/print IHREC will support the MA with monitoring, assisting to ensure compliance with the Charter.

IHREC Strategy Statement https://www.ihrec.ie/app/uploads/2019/0 2/Final-Strategy-Statement-ENG- VERSION.pdf Implementing the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty The Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty (the Duty) requires public bodies to have regard to non- discrimination, equality, and human rights in carrying out their functions.
Adherence to the Duty by all implementing bodies will help to ensure compliance with the Charter.

EN 55 EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification https://www.ihrec.ie/app/uploads/2019/0 3/IHREC_Public_Sector_Duty_Final_E ng_WEB.pdf Guidance Tool on Equality and Human Rights in EU Funds https://eufunds.ie/regulations-guidance/ Yes https://www.ihrec.ie/ 2.
Reporting arrangements to the monitoring committee regarding cases of non-compliance of operations supported by the Funds with the Charter and complaints regarding the Charter submitted in accordance with the arrangements made pursuant to Article 69(7).

56 EN Building on the Duty, a guidance tool has been developed with IHREC to assist Intermediate Bodies (IBs) and Beneficiaries in advancing equality and human rights.
IHREC will be invited to sit on the PMC and will be consulted throughout the development of the PA and OP and in implementation, monitoring and evaluation of OP.

Compliance will be ensured through application of the Duty and with the help of the Commission’s ‘Fundamental Rights Checklist’ and IHREC guidance.

Each IB or scheme delivery partner will report annually on progress in relation to human rights and equality and on continued compliance with the Charter.
Training on human rights and equality will be procured and provided to staff in the MA, IBs and Beneficiaries as required.

Where a complaint regarding the Charter or potential case of non- compliance of operations supported by the Funds with the Charter is brought to the attention of the MA, the MA will establish the facts of the case.
If the case is established by the MA to be a potential breach of the Charter, the MA will request that IHREC provide an EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification assessment.

The MA will state clearly the reasons for its belief that a potential breach of the Charter has occurred.
Upon formal receipt of such a request, IHREC will complete their assessment with reference to Ireland’s obligations under the Charter.

Where IHREC deem that the Charter has not been complied with they will inform the Monitoring Committee.
IHREC will set out its findings in a report and propose recommendations, if any, drawing on the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty and the guidance tool developed by IHREC and the MAs to support integration of equality and human rights standards under the Funds.

The MA will respond and inform the Committee of any remedial actions taken and of the scope to draw lessons for the implementation of programmes.

Reporting on any cases of non-compliance and complaints will take place at least annually.
4.

Implementation and application of the United Nations Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (UNCRPD) in EN Yes A national framework to ensure implementation of the UNCRPD is in place that includes: 1.

Objectives with measurable goals, data collection and monitoring mechanisms.
Yes The National Disability Inclusion Strategy https://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/W P17000244 The current mechanism to implement the UNCRPD commitments is the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS) and its Steering Group.
Mid-Term Review of National Disability Inclusion Strategy The NDIS has been extended until the end of 2022 with implementation of actions and monitoring by the NDIS 57 EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition accordance with Council Decision 2010/48/EC Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification https://merrionstreet.ie/en/news- room/midterm_review_- _national_disability_inclusion_strategy.
pdf Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities 2015-24 IHREC - UNCRPD https://www.ihrec.ie/crpd/ NDA – Monitoring of NDIS http://nda.ie/Publications/ Launch of Disability Consultation Network Yes The National Disability Inclusion Strategy Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities 2015-24 Disability Act 2005 Employment Equality Act 1998-2015 Equal Status Act 2000-2018 Steering Group continuing.
Progress is tracked against a set of 62 indicators identified by the National Disability Authority (NDA).

There will be ongoing assessment of the implementation of actions identified in the NDIS until the strategy concludes.

The Mid-Term review of the NDIS commits to the development of a specific UNCRPD implementation plan, expected in 2022.

The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities (CESPD) is also of particular relevance in relation to Article 27 of the UNCRPD.
The MA will ensure that accessibility policy, legislation and standards are properly reflected in the preparation and implementation of programme.

Where relevant, interventions will be aligned with and enable progress on the implementation of the NDIS & CESPD.

The NDA and IHREC are members of the Partnership Process Steering Group which advises on preparation for 2021- 27 and will be consulted throughout the development of the PA and OP.

They will be invited to sit on the Monitoring Committees.

2.
2.

Arrangements to ensure that accessibility policy, legislation and standards are properly reflected in the preparation and implementation of the programmes.
EN 58 EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification NDA Code of Practice on Accessibility of Public Services and Information provided by Public Bodies NDA Centre for Excellence in Universal Design Implementing the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty Yes https://www.ihrec.ie/ 3.
Reporting arrangements to the monitoring committee regarding cases of non-compliance of operations supported by the Funds with the UNCRPD and complaints regarding the UNCRPD submitted in accordance with the arrangements made pursuant to Article 69(7).

EN 59 The MA will ensure that accessibility policy, legislation and standards will be reflected in all stages through consultation on key documents and active monitoring.
Relevant policy, legislation and standards include the NDIS, CESPD, the Disability Act and the Equality Acts.

The NDA and IHREC have developed detailed guidance for use by public bodies involved in preparation and implementation of programmes.

Each IB or scheme delivery partner will report annually on disability issues.

Training in relation to disability issues will be procured and provided to staff in the MA, IBs and Beneficiaries as required.
Where a complaint regarding UNCRPD or potential case of non-compliance of operations supported by the Funds with UNCRPD is brought to the attention of the MA, the MA will establish the facts of the case.

If the case is established by the MA to be a potential breach of UNCRPD, the MA will request that IHREC provide their assessment.

The MA will state clearly the reasons for its belief that a potential breach of UNCRPD has occurred.
Upon formal receipt of this request, IHREC will complete their assessment with reference to Ireland’s obligations under UNCRPD, the Employment EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification 1.1.

Good governance of national or regional smart specialisation strategy ERDF RSO1.1.
Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies Yes Smart specialisation strategy or strategies shall be supported by: Yes 1.

Up-to-date analysis of challenges for innovation diffusion and digitalisation.

Equality Acts and the Equal Status Acts.

Where IHREC deem that UNCRPD has not been complied with, they will inform the Monitoring Committee.
IHREC will set out its findings in a report and propose recommendations, if any, drawing on the Public Sector Duty and the guidance tool developed by IHREC and the MAs to support integration of equality and human rights under the Funds.

The MA will respond and inform the Committee of any remedial actions taken and of the scope to draw lessons for the implementation of programmes.

Reporting on any cases of non-compliance and complaints will take place at least annually.
Chapters 3(2) and 3(4) of the National Smart Specialisation Strategy for Research and Innovation 2021-2027 reflect Ireland’s policy and developments on innovation diffusion.
2018 report (p.67) - Assessing Impact of Digitalisation on Ireland’s Workforce (p. 242) 2019 OECD Report on Ireland's SME and Entrepreneurship Policy Ireland’s Industry 4.0 Strategy 2020- 2025 Enterprise 2025 Renewed While various supports from State agencies, national RD&I institutes and academic-business collaborations assist innovation diffusion, barriers remain.
These include lack of collaboration between domestic enterprises and MNCs in RD&I; low levels of investment in RD&I by domestic enterprises relative to MNCs; low levels of public RD&I expenditure; lack of awareness of RD&I fiscal supports; and complexity of the RD&I support environment.

A 2018 report on digital skills highlighted that regions, such as the Border and Midlands, were most at risk from automation.
A 2019 OECD report on Ireland's SME and entrepreneurship policy highlighted a digital skills deficit linked to a EN 60 EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification Digitalisation of SMEs in Ireland Science Foundation Ireland Strategy 2025 New Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024, supported by regional stakeholder committees.

2.
2.

Existence of competent regional or national institution or body, responsible for the management of the smart specialisation strategy.

Yes Chapter 9 of the National Smart Specialisation Strategy for Research and Innovation 2021-2027 contains details of bodies which will be responsible for the monitoring and management of S3.
Research Priority Areas 2018-2023 New Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024 New National Innovation Strategy 2022- 2030 (forthcoming) EN 61 knowledge and financing gap, referencing the DETE-commissioned report from the EIB on SME digitalisation.

After approval of S3, the current Steering Group, consisting of representatives from DETE, DPER and DFHERIS, as well as the three Regional Assemblies, will become the S3 national Implementation Group (IG) before mid- October 2022.
It will oversee the delivery of S3 national and regional strategic priorities by bringing together relevant policy leads through the quadruple helix model, as well as related agencies and bodies directly involved in implementation as required.

At NUTS3 level, the REPs committee structures will ensure regular EDP feedback to the IG, by bringing evidence and insights from stakeholders from across the regions.
At NUTS2 level, the Regional Assemblies will report ongoing S3 alignment with ERDF spending and broader results.

Based on these updates, the IG will focus on prioritisation and action planning to respond to emerging regional consensus on cross-sectoral economic and innovation developments, ensuring EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification 3.
Monitoring and evaluation tools to measure performance towards the objectives of the strategy.

Yes Chapter 9 of the National Smart Specialisation Strategy for Research and Innovation 2021-2027 contains details of bodies which will be responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of S3.

Relevant indicators will be sourced from the European Commission’s European and Regional Innovation Scoreboards; CSO’s BERD and Innovation Surveys, KTI’s Annual Knowledge Transfer Survey.
Research Priority Areas 2018-2023 New Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024 New National Innovation Strategy 2022- 2030 (forthcoming) EN 62 continued alignment between national enterprise and innovation policies and S3.

In turn, it will prepare an annual report outlining how S3 is progressing in both national and regional contexts.

At NUTS3 level, S3 will be monitored through biannual progress reports from the 9 REPs, as well as a synthesis provided by DETE’s REPs unit to the IG.
Further monitoring and assessment will be achieved by the mid-cycle review of the REPs.

The REPs will be important tools in translating S3 into regional and local impacts by ensuring regular EDP feedback from quadruple helix agents.

At NUTS2 level, the RAs will engage directly with the 9 REPs stakeholder groups to monitor overall progress on S3 implementation.

They will provide further analysis on selected regional priority areas, along with reporting ongoing S3 alignment with ERDF.
The mid-term review of ERDF allows for S3 goals to be judged against this major implementation mechanism.

Indicators from the Commission’s RIS and KTI annual surveys, such as SMEs introducing product innovation, will be applied to assessments.

[Others highlighted in relevant documentation column] At NUTS1 level, the IG will compile these monitoring results in its biannual report outlining how S3 is progressing in national and regional contexts.
The IG EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification 4.

Functioning of stakeholder co- operation (“entrepreneurial discovery process”).

Yes EN 63 Chapters 4 to 7, inclusive, of the National Smart Specialisation Strategy for Research and Innovation 2021-2027 outline stakeholder co-operation and the entrepreneurial discovery process in S3.
New Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024 Regional Enterprise Plans (NUTS 3 level) supported by regional stakeholder committees and the Regional Enterprise Development Fund Eastern and Midland Region RSES Northern and Western Region RSES Southern Region RSES will also utilise monitoring tools such as AIRO.

The two-stage consultation EDP used for S3 was overseen by a national Steering Group of Government stakeholders.
It provided governance of S3 during strategy creation, as well as ensuring all criteria were met and identifying monitoring structures.

Stakeholder consultation events took place in the 9 REPs areas (NUTS 3 level) which saw engagement with key innovation actors at the regional level and gained insights into regional innovation priorities, thus bridging any gap between national and regional policies.
Re-employing this quadruple helix model, S3 will continue as a thematic focus for the NUTS3 REPs Steering Committees which comprise local authorities, enterprise agencies, regional HEIs; skills fora and private sector.

The REPs mid-cycle reviews will, be informed and updated by this bottom-up stakeholder-led process.
At NUTS2 level, S3 will be part of the statutory RSESs, chaired by the respective Regional Assemblies which will engage directly with the 9 REPs Steering Committees to gain stakeholder participation in the identification of cross-regional priority areas, as well as providing their own analysis on regional insights.

EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria 5.

Actions necessary to improve national or regional research and innovation systems, where relevant.
Fulfilment of criteria Yes Reference to relevant documents Justification Chapters 2 and 4 to 7, inclusive, of the National Smart Specialisation Strategy for Research and Innovation 2021-2027 outline actions necessary to enhance national and regional research and innovation systems.
New Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024 Regional Enterprise Plans (NUTS 3 level) supported by regional stakeholder committees and the Regional Enterprise Development Fund Eastern and Midland Region RSES Northern and Western Region RSES Southern Region RSES New National Innovation Strategy 2022- 2030 (forthcoming) Current enterprise policy promotes collaboration, clustering and linkages between HEIs and enterprises.

Initiatives e.g., DTIF, Knowledge Transfer Ireland, Innovation Partnerships etc.
provide for partnerships between HEIs, research and enterprise, particularly SMEs, complementing other innovation initiatives from EI and SFI.

DETE is working on a new national clustering approach as part of a new national enterprise policy White Paper by end 2022.

Newly established Technological Universities will build on S3 regional sectoral specialisations which, in turn, will be supported by ERDF.

Data shows the productivity gap between MNCs and SMEs has been increasing since 2000.
Tackling this gap through S3’s emphasis on innovation diffusion, as well as bottom-up quadruple helix stakeholder engagement, is key to addressing this.

Current enterprise agencies’ (EI and IDA) strategies focus on growing broader-based innovation capacity in enterprise to drive higher productivity performance.

Government investment in R&I now approaches €1 billion per annum and the new national R&I strategy is expected to target an overall research intensity rate of 2.5% of GNI*.

EN 64 EN 6.
EN 64 EN 6.

Where relevant, actions to support industrial transition.
Yes Chapters 3(2) and 3(3) of the National Smart Specialisation Strategy for Research and Innovation 2021-2027 Structural economic change is a persistent feature of Ireland’s past 30 years, more so than in most other OECD Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification reflect Ireland’s policy and developments on managing industrial transition.
Ireland’s Industry 4.0 Strategy 2020- 2025 Climate Action Plan 2021 Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025 National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021 Future Jobs Ireland 2019 Draft territorial Just Transition plan for €84.5 million from the EU Just Transition Fund over the programme period of 2021-2027.

New Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024 members.


Ireland’s ability to adapt to demographic, economic and technological trends has coincided with growing innovation activity, increased infrastructural support for RD&I and the expanding role of technology in the Irish economy.

Major elements of current industrial transition, namely digitalisation and the green transition, are supported by numerous policies and initiatives.
These mechanisms include Future Manufacturing Ireland, clusters, EDIHs, remote working hubs, the AI strategy, Our Rural Future, the NRRP, the EU Just Transition Fund and the Climate Action Plan 2021.
Along with improved co-ordination between these existing mechanisms and new supports financed by ERDF, S3 will give strengthened financial support to enterprises in reducing their carbon emissions and developing, accessing skilled workers to work within green industries as well as embracing and adjusting to digitalisation.

Regional sectors particularly affected include manufacturing, agri-food, renewable energy, and the blue economy.

7.
7.

Measures for enhancing cooperation with partners outside a given Member State in priority areas supported by the smart specialisation strategy.
Yes Chapters 3(5) and 3(6) of the National Smart Specialisation Strategy for Research and Innovation 2021-2027 reflect Ireland’s policy and developments on international collaboration on RD&I and improving International collaborative endeavours to support enterprises and researchers include participation in EU R&I framework programmes such as Horizon Europe, Interreg; bilateral country co- operation; all-island initiatives and agencies such as InterTradeIreland; EN 65 EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification the national enterprise research and innovation system.
Research Priority Areas 2018-2023 New Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024 New National Innovation Strategy 2022- 2030 (forthcoming) Ireland’s European Research Area Roadmap INTERREG VA and PEACE PLUS; SFI and HEA programmes; enterprise- targeted programmes such as I3, EUREKA, the ESA and EDIHs.

The S3 National Implementation Group will identify opportunities to collaborate with other countries in the enterprise RD&I space.
Using the quadruple helix model, regional and national policymakers will be brought together to identify better outcomes for participation in EU and international programmes, ensuring regional level recommendations feed into the national and international policy making space.

Already S3 consultations identified areas with significant international implications such as quantum engineering, microprocessor production and increased participation by Irish enterprises in IPCEI cutting-edge sectors.
Enterprise and innovation agencies will complement the process, utilising international connections to identify potential partners.

Yes 2.1.

Strategic policy framework to support energy efficiency renovation of residential and non-residential buildings ERDF RSO2.1.

Promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions EN 1.
A national long term renovation strategy to support the renovation of the national stock of residential and non- residential buildings is adopted, in line with the requirements of Directive (EU) 2010/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council , which: (a) entails indicative milestones for 2030, 2040 and 2050; 66 Yes Ireland's Long Term Renovation Strategy 2020 https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a4d69 -long-term-renovation-strategy/ Ireland published its Long-Term Renovation Strategy (LTRS) and submitted it to the European Commission in 2020 as required under the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2018/844/EU) (Recast).
National Retrofit Plan (Chapter 14 of Climate Action Plan 2021) https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/6223e -climate-action-plan-2021/ Ireland subsequently published the National Retrofit Plan – which builds on and augments the LTRS as part of the Climate Action Plan 2021.
This plan EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification (b) provides an indicative outline of financial resources to support the implementation of the strategy; (c) defines effective mechanisms for promoting investments in building renovation.

2.
2.

Energy efficiency improvement measures to achieve required energy savings Yes Climate Action Plan 2021 https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/6223e -climate-action-plan-2021/ The integrated national energy and climate plan is notified to the Commission, in accordance with Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 and consistent with the long-term greenhouse gas emission reduction objectives under the Paris Agreement, which includes: 1.
All elements required by the template set out in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2018/1999.

Yes Ireland’s National Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030 https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/0015c -irelands-national-energy-climate-plan- 2021-2030/ National Energy and Climate Plan 2021- 2030 https://assets.gov.ie/94442/f3e50986- 9fde-4d34-aa35-319af3bfac0c.pdf Annex 1 Part 2 NECP Ireland https://assets.gov.ie/94444/1cfa6e5d- 9e5e-4216-9a59-deca792ee3d8.pdf 2.2.

Governance of the energy sector ERDF Yes RSO2.1.


Promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions EN 67 (and future National Retrofit Plans) provide further detailed target setting.

Ireland is now on a legally binding path to net-Zero emissions no later than 2050, and to a 51% reduction in emissions by the end of this decade under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021.
The Act provides the framework for Ireland to meet its international and EU climate commitments and to become a leader in addressing climate change.

In November 2021, Ireland published its Climate Action Plan 2021.

This plan sets a roadmap for taking decisive action to halve our emissions by 2030 and reach net zero no later than 2050.

Ireland's draft National Energy & Climate Plan (NECP) 2021-2030 was submitted to the European Commission in December 2018.
The draft NECP took into account energy and climate policies developed up to that point, the levels of demographic and economic growth identified in the Project 2040 process and included all of the climate and energy measures set out in the National Development Plan 2018-2027.
The 2019 NECP was prepared to incorporate all planned policies and measures that were identified up to the end of 2019 and which collectively deliver a 30% reduction by 2030 in non- EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification ETS greenhouse gas emissions (from 2005 levels).
Under the Programme for Government, Ireland is committed to achieving a 7% annual average reduction in greenhouse gas emissions between 2021 and 2030.

The NECP was drafted before the Government committed to this higher level of ambition, and therefore does not reflect this higher commitment.
Ireland is currently developing those policies and measures and intends to integrate the revision of the NECP into the process which will be required for increasing the overall EU contribution under the Paris Agreement.

Section 5.3 of Ireland’s National Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030 gives an "Overview of Investment Needs" associated with delivering on goals set out in the NECP.
The resources required to deliver on a higher level of ambition are set out in the renewed National Development Plan 2021-2030 and in the Climate Action Plan 2021.

2.

An outline of envisaged financial resources and mechanisms for measures promoting low-carbon energy.
Yes Ireland’s National Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030 https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/0015c -irelands-national-energy-climate-plan- 2021-2030/ The renewed National Development Plan 2021-2030 (October 2021) https://www.gov.ie/en/press- release/7ac57-government-launches-the- renewed-national-development-plan- 2021-2030/ Climate Action Plan 2021 (November 2021) EN 68 EN Enabling condition Fund Specific objective Fulfilment of enabling condition Criteria Fulfilment of criteria Reference to relevant documents Justification https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/6223e -climate-action-plan-2021/ EN 69 EN 5.
Programme authorities Reference: point (k) of Article 22(3) and Articles 71 and 84 CPR Table 13: Programme authorities Programme authorities Name of the institution Contact name Position Email Managing authority Audit authority Northern and Western Regional Assembly David Minton Director dminton@nwra.ie Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Dermot Byrne Head of Audit (Internal & EU Audit Unit) dermot.byrne@per.gov.ie Body which receives payments from the Commission Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Ruth McGrath Structural Funds, Cohesion Policy Ruth.McGrath@per.gov.ie Body (other than managing authority) carrying out the accounting function Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Joan O'Toole ERDF Accounting Officer joan.otoole@per.gov.ie The repartition of the reimbursed amounts for technical assistance pursuant to Article 36(5) CPR if more bodies are identified to receive payments from the Commission Reference: Article 22(3) CPR Table 13A: The portion of the percentages set out in point (b) of Article 36(5) CPR that would be reimbursed to the bodies which receive payments from the Commission in case of technical assistance pursuant to Article 36(5) CPR (in percentage points) EN 70 EN 6.
Partnership Reference: point (h) of Article 22(3) CPR Partnership Arrangement The Programme was prepared with input from a wide range of partners and stakeholders across the region, in compliance with Article 22(3)(h) of the CPR.

The selection of partners involved in programme preparation was based on the identification of appropriate partners and stakeholders from each of the relevant partners listed in Article 8(1).
Role of Relevant Partners in Programme Preparation Relevant partners and stakeholders fully participated in programme preparation.

A series of partnership structures, operating in accordance with the European Code of Conduct on Partnership and Art 8 of the CPR in relation to partnership and multi-level governance, were key to delivering the preparation stage.

A series of specific preparation actions took place from 2020-22 in overlapping steps.
National Partnership Structures Coordination between the Funds ensures strong synergies between co-financed interventions, resulting in reduced administrative cost and burden.

Ireland created structures to ensure coordination between the Funds and other EU and national instruments, involving key bodies at EU, national, regional and local levels.

These structures will remain in place for implementation of the programme.
• Partnership Process Steering Group of the Funds (PPSG): A national PPSG was established to assist programme authorities in developing the Partnership Agreement, including identifying and putting in place mechanisms to address synergies, complementarities and enhance cooperation across programmes.
The PPSG includes representatives from Member State, the funds and responsible government department, economic and social partners, bodies promoting social inclusion; fundamental rights, rights of persons with disabilities, gender equality and non- discrimination, and relevant bodies representing civil society, the Common Agricultural Policy, the Recovery & Resilience Plan, and the Brexit Adjustment Reserve.
• Partnership Agreement Working Group (PAWG): Reporting to the PPSG, the PAWG comprised fund programme authorities to assist with drafting and coordinating timelines for the purposes of the Partnership Agreement.

It was instrumental in developing a common approach to the horizontal principles by identifying possible synergies/complementarities across the funds and other EU instruments.
This group met regularly during the preparation phase, and it is proposed that it could continue to examine challenges of managing bodies in developing complementarities between actions and facilitate peer to peer learning between funds.

Programme Preparation Activities The Managing Authority engaged with relevant partners during the programme preparation stage in a transparent and effective way.
Consultation of partners followed several steps and processes from 2020- 22, involving a needs analysis, review of public policy, meetings, workshops, questionnaires, public consultations and updates on progress.

Documentation was circulated to members of the PPSG and the PAWG, notices of public consultation and consultation reports were published on the website www.eufunds.ie with links from the websites of the Managing Authorities as part of the public consultation below.
The output of these actions served as inputs, informing the shape of the programme.

Partnership Agreement Needs Analysis, 2020 EN 71 EN An independent needs analysis was completed in June 2020 for ERDF and ESF+ to assess the needs which could be addressed by Cohesion Funding through these funds.

The report helped underpin planning for Ireland’s Partnership Agreement 2021-27 and provide strategic choices for the use of ERDF and ESF+.
It comprised a review of the EU and national policy context and a detailed examination of the baseline situation, including evidence on research and innovation, competitiveness and growth, digitalisation, green economy, employment, education & skills, and childcare.

It also identified social groups most affected by poverty or at risk of social exclusion.

It assessed Ireland’s regional situation, including the objetcives of the three RSES’s and took account of Brexit and COVID-19.
49 organisations from the partners/ stakeholder categories were consulted as part of the process resulting in 36 formal written responses which resulted in identifying ten priority areas for the funds.

Public Consultation, June 2020 – September 2020 The Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform and of Education & Skills and the Regional Assemblies commissioned an independent public consultation process in 2020 to prepare for the Partnership Agreement and Programmes.
A key objective was to ensure the public and stakeholders had an opportunity to shape cohesion policy in Ireland and to enhance the visibility of the funds and their support to Irish life.
The consultation was built around three actions: • Needs Analysis Report: detailed assessment of the policy landscape and the funding investment priorities 2021-27, based on needs and cohesion goals in a socio-economic context, • National and Regional Workshop Event: online public consultation workshop on 28th July 2020 with over 100 attendees - presenting the funds, three regional interactive discussion groups, and a live poll on the priorities against the Needs Analysis, • Public Consultation Survey: 13th July-4th Sept 2020 with a detailed survey and submission framework.
109 submissions were received from all sectors and analysed against several areas of enquiry, including a specific focus on regional needs.

Relevant Stakeholder Scoping, 2020-2022 This involved engagement with relevant public bodies, such as government departments and state agencies, to identify initial policy and action alignment with the ERDF programmes for 2021-27.
This process involved meetings with each public body and a questionnaire to determine possible synergies and opportunities for ERDF to enhance current national activities..

This group had representation from the CCMA, the Climate Action Regional Offices, the SEAI, the Office of the Planning Regulator, the Regional Assemblies and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

Assembly Meetings 2020 - 2022 The Regional Programme 2021-2027 was a recurring agenda item at NWR Assembly Meetings.
This ensured that the locally elected representatives could receive updates on programme development and provide input on the preparation of the programme.

Complementarities Workshop & Report, April, November and December 2021 A series of complementarities workshops took place where the CPR funds and other EU programmes discussed the main themes of their programmes to identify possible complementarities.
The funds discussed how they could work together to achieve common goals and mitigate against double funding.

A report was drafted with an outline of the issues raised and next steps.

Horizontal Enabling Conditions Engagement, 2021 EN 72 EN The Funds worked closely with IHREC on the development of new guidance tool to strengthen the institutional capacity of Intermediate Bodies and Beneficiaries in advancing equality and human rights during programme implementation.
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) & Public Consultation, 2022 In 2022, the MA commissioned an SEA of the Programme to evaluate the environment consequences of proposed plans/schemes, to ensure environmental issues are fully integrated and addressed at the earliest appropriate stage of decision making.

Conducted in line with national and EU guidelines and legislation, the process includes two stage of consultation with the public and relevant statutory bodies.
Role of Relevant Partners in Programme Implementation, Monitoring, Reporting & Evaluation Partnership is a key element at all stages of programme implementation, including monitoring, reporting, communication and evaluation.

Many of the relevant partners/stakeholders who were involved at the preparation stage will be actively engaged with the MA in the implementation stage.
Some relevant public bodies, such as Government Departments and state agencies, will be directly involved in programme delivery and other partners/stakeholders will be intervention beneficiaries, as appropriate.

A performance framework has been established, as per Article 17 of the CPR, to allow for transparent monitoring, reporting & evaluating of programme performance to ensure successful delivery of targets.
The relevant partners/stakeholders will be consulted, as appropriate, in relation to the delivery of the performance framework.

Technical assistance will be used to support the strengthening of the institutional capacity of partners, including, for example, training and development activities.

Programme Monitoring Committee (MC) The partnership principle and the European Code of Conduct on Partnership will be reflected in both the MC’s membership and adopted rules of procedure.
Gender balance will be promoted on the MC.
Membership, which will be published on the programme website, will include representatives from: • Member State (DPER), • Regional, local, national, and other relevant public authorities, including those responsible for implementation and Government Departments representing the horizontal principles, • Elected Representatives at regional level, • Representatives from other EU shared management funds in Ireland, • Economic and social partners, • Bodies representing civil society - environmental partners, non-governmental organisations, and bodies responsible for promoting social inclusion, fundamental rights, rights of persons with disabilities, gender equality and non-discrimination, • Research organisations and academic institutions, • European Commission (in an advisory capacity).
A shadow Monitoring Committee was established in April 2022 and reflects the above membership requirements.
The MC will meet at least once yearly to examine and make recommendations on all issues affecting programme implementation, progress in achieving milestones and targets and measures taken to address issues, including relevant programme contributions to Ireland’s country-specific recommendations, elements of the ex-ante assessments, evaluations and follow up to associated findings, progress on implementation of communications and visibility actions and implementing operations of strategic importance, actions to ensure fulfilment of enabling conditions, progress in administrative capacity-building for public bodies, partners, and beneficiaries, as relevant.
EN 73 EN The MA will submit a programme evaluation plan to the MC within a year of approval.

Similarly, a mechanism for reporting to the MC cases of non-compliance of supported operations with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU will be put in place to ensure enabling conditions remain considered and respected during implementation.
Partnership Agreement Monitoring Committee (PAMC) The PAMC will oversee the implementation of the Partnership Agreement, with membership aligned to Article 8 of the CPR.

It will assist the fund and programme authorities and put in place, where necessary, appropriate systems to address cooperation, complementarity, subsidiarity and implementation issues between the funds and programmes and other EU instruments.

EN 74 EN 7.
EN 74 EN 7.

Communication and visibility Reference: point (j) of Article 22(3) CPR The need for effective communication has a legal basis in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which guarantees the right of all citizens to be informed about European issues.
The MA will respect the integrity of this right by using all appropriate means to communicate to key stakeholders and, in particular, the general public, the opportunities, achievements and impact of the ERDF Regional Operational Programme in a visible, open and transparent way.
Key objectives • Highlight the positive contribution of the ERDF to the lives of people living in the region, including awareness of the results and impact of funded activity • Raise awareness amongst potential beneficiaries of the funding opportunities • Maximise an understanding of the objectives and achievements of operations supported by the ERDF, with particular attention to operations of strategic importance • Support beneficiaries to comply with EU, national and Programme legislation and guidelines The target audience will comprise one or more of the following groups: • General Public • Elected Representatives • Programme Monitoring Committees and Intermediate Bodies • Potential Beneficiaries • European Commission, European Commission Representation and European Parliament in Ireland, Europe Direct Information Centres • National, Regional, Local & European media • Government Departments, Local Authorities, other public bodies • Academia, education and training bodies • Visiting delegations • Economic & Social Partners • Bodies representing civil society Communications Channels Key channels: Website: regular updates on programme objectives, opportunities & activity, incl.
list of operations and calls for proposals.

Social Media: Build on existing profiles (Twitter/ Facebook/ Instagram/ LinkedIn/ YouTube) to target different audience groups and explore other appropriate digital tools as they arise.

Media Engagement: (online/ print/ other) press releases, advertorials, and interviews.

Events & Campaigns: organised by MA and/or third parties (in-person/ hybrid/ online) to inform, engage and train our target audiences.
EN 75 EN Publications: (online/ print) to support programme communication/visibility actions, incl.

audio-visual material.

Networks: work with delivery partners, national communications coordinator, ESIF in Ireland, stakeholders & the INFORMEU network to develop & deliver innovative actions to increase visibility of the ERDF.

Website: Manage and provide regular updates of programme progress on eufunds.ie.
The MA will consider accessibility of its communications tools and platforms for persons with disabilities and comply with S.I.

No.

358/2020 - European Union (Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications of Public Sector Bodies) Regulations 2020.
Beneficiary Supports • Set up ongoing communications compliance supports for beneficiaries, including operations of strategic importance, • Define a publicity process between the MA, Member State and the European Commission for the launch and ongoing progress of Operations of Strategic Importance to increase their visibility to target audiences.
Budget & Resources The MA will have a communications budget of up to 0.3% with built-in flexibility to allow for actions to move with trends, circumstances, and tools.

The MA will appoint a Communications Officer to coordinate the delivery of all related measures and to collaborate with the national communication co- ordinator.
Annual Communications Plan The MA will implement a yearly plan to achieve the strategy’s objectives, including measurable actions: • Online actions via the programme website and social media channels, • Ongoing communications compliance supports for beneficiaries, including operations of strategic importance, • Define a process for collaboration between the MA, Member State and the European Commission to publicise the launch and ongoing progress of Operations of Strategic Importance to increase their visibility to target audiences, • Public information events, media campaigns and activities, • Publication of advertising, advertorials, and case studies of operation activity (online/ print), • Update the monitoring committee and the European Commission on communications actions.
Monitoring & Evaluation Communication & visibility actions will be subject to regular evaluation, with data from surveys, internal statistics, listener & reader reach, website/platform analytics etc.

The impact of outputs will be measured by two surveys to evaluate the overall impact of communications activities by measuring public awareness of and attitudes toward the EU and EU funding (baseline: 2021 public awareness survey: 42% prompted awareness of ERDF).
EN 76 EN The following actions will be subject to yearly monitoring & evaluation against appropriate metrics and tools: Communications Strategy: baseline 2021 public awareness survey: 42% prompted awareness.

Website & social media: metrics measured against 2021 analytics as baseline.

Events:10 presentations delivered at MA and/ or third party events on NW programme activity.

Advertorials: 9 published (online/ print / radio).

Case Studies: 9 collected and published online.


Publications: 7 produced & published online (programme statistics).

EN 77 EN 8.
Use of unit costs, lump sums, flat rates and financing not linked to costs Reference: Articles 94 and 95 CPR Table 14: Use of unit costs, lump sums, flat rates and financing not linked to costs Intended use of Articles 94 and 95 CPR Yes No From the adoption, the programme will make use of reimbursement of the Union contribution based on unit costs, lump sums and flat rates under the priority according to Article 94 CPR From the adoption, the programme will make use of reimbursement of the Union contribution based on financing not linked to costs according to Article 95 CPR EN 78 EN Appendix 1: Union contribution based on unit costs, lump sums and flat rates A.
Summary of the main elements Priority Fund Specific objective Category of region Estimated proportion of the total financial allocation within the priority to which the SCO will be applied in % Type(s) of operation covered Indicator triggering reimbursement Code(1) Description Code(2) Description Unit of measurement for the indicator triggering reimbursement Type of SCO (standard scale of unit costs, lump sums or flat rates) Amount (in EUR) or percentage (in case of flat rates) of the SCO (1) This refers to the code for the intervention field dimension in Table 1 of Annex I to the CPR and the Annex IV to the EMFAF regulation (2) This refers to the code of a common indicator, if applicable EN 79 EN Appendix 1: Union contribution based on unit costs, lump sums and flat rates B.
Details by type of operation C. Calculation of the standard scale of unit costs, lump sums or flat rates 1.

Source of data used to calculate the standard scale of unit costs, lump sums or flat rates (who produced, collected and recorded the data, where the data is stored, cut-off dates, validation, etc.)

2.

Please specify why the proposed method and calculation based on Article 94(2) CPR is relevant to the type of operation.

3.
3.

Please specify how the calculations were made, in particular including any assumptions made in terms of quality or quantities.

Where relevant, statistical evidence and benchmarks should be used and, if requested, provided in a format that is usable by the Commission.

4.

Please explain how you have ensured that only eligible expenditure was included in the calculation of the standard scale of unit cost, lump sum or flat rate.

5.
5.

Assessment of the audit authority(ies) of the calculation methodology and amounts and the arrangements to ensure the verification, quality, collection and storage of data.

EN 80 EN Appendix 2: Union contribution based on financing not linked to costs A.
Summary of the main elements Priority Fund Specific objective Category of region The amount covered by the financing not linked to cost Type(s) of operation covered Code (1) Description Conditions to be fulfilled/results to be achieved triggering reimbursement by the Commission Indicator Code (2) Description Unit of measurement for the conditions to be fulfilled/results to be achieved triggering reimbursement by the Commission Envisaged type of reimbursement method used to reimburse the beneficiary(ies) (1) This refers to the code for the intervention field dimension in Table 1 of Annex I to the CPR and the Annex IV to the EMFAF regulation (2) This refers to the code of a common indicator, if applicable EN 81 EN B.
Details by type of operation EN 82 EN Appendix 3: List of planned operations of strategic importance with a timetable Article 22(3) CPR The programme will support the establishment of one Regional Smart Hub for Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation in the Programme area.

The Smart Hub is expected to be an operation of strategic importance in the region.

The operations will be selected through a competitive call.

An indicative timetable is given below.


Q4 2022 Call Launch Q4 2023 Selection of operations Q4 2023 Commencement of operations Q1 2024 Official Launch The new regional Smart Hub for Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation will be established in key thematic areas aligned with the Ireland's Smart Specialisation Strategy and regional strategic priorities.

It will establish a new model for regional innovation and entrepreneurial training.
The model will integrate critical elements of a research and innovation (R&I) ecosystem with entrepreneurial approaches, thus accelerating time to market from research concept to HPSUs, new product introduction, licences and innovations.

EN 83 EN DOCUMENTS Document title Document type Document date Local reference Commission reference Files Sent date Sent by EN 84 EN