COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, July 14, 2025
MOTION NO. 3
MOTION: Councillor Joanna Tuffy
That the CEO investigate the feasibility of liaising with the Dublin City Council EU Programme Support Office which operates as part of its economic development remit and would investigate the feasibility of something similar in South Dublin County Council to identify and manage EU funding opportunities for South Dublin County and to work across departments within the council to build awareness of EU funding
REPORT:
The Irish Regions European Office (IREO) is a specialised support service which acts as a bridge between Irish local and regional government and the European Union. This office communicates on a regular basis with South Dublin through the Economic Development Department on funding opportunities under the different EU funding streams. In addition the office promotes Irish interests and best practices at the European level.
This office operates as part of the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly with the support of the Department for Housing, Planning and Local Government with the objective of bringing the EU closer to the wider local government sector. The office has recently been supplemented with an additional resource to further expand and deliver on this remit.
It is the case that more than 50% of EU Funding is channelled through 5 no. European Structural and Investment Funds:
- European Regional Development Fund
- European Social Fund
- Cohesion Fund
- European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development
- European Maritime and Fisheries Fund
There are also a number of European Programmes which provide funding for projects. Some examples are Horizon Europe, Interreg, Urban Innovative Actions, URBACT, Erasmus+, Europe for Citizens, Creative Europe, the EU Green Deal and LIFE.
All such funding is subject to a funding call being issued by that Programme and calls have specific deadlines for the submission of applications after which the call closes and no further applications are considered. The application process for funding calls specify the qualifying criteria for projects and may focus on different themes or objectives over the lifetime of the Programme with separate calls for applications according to those themes/objectives.
As funding calls issue, the Council can consider whether there are any appropriate projects which qualify under the criteria set out by that funding call and submit applications for projects accordingly.
In addition to enagagement with the Irish Regions European Office, the Council are happy to engage with the Dublin City Council EU Programme Support Office as part of its economic remit. It should be noted that there is ongoing dialogue with the Economic Development directorate of Dublin City Council, with regular engagement on new initiatives and funding opportunities, which is also augmented by meetings with the four Dublin Local Authorities and the Eastern Midland Regional Assembly as part of the delivery of the Dublin Regional Enterprise Plan, where both national and EU funding opportunities are explored and discussed in delivering regional policy.