Speaking with regard to the new EU programmes, the Tánaiste announced that:

“The Structural Funds will play a complementary role in relation to the NDP 2007-2013 and will focus on niche investments in employment, innovation, research and development and strengthening the competitiveness, attractiveness and connectivity of the National Spatial Strategy Gateways and Hubs. These are important priorities and I am satisfied that EU funding should continue to be invested in this way.”

Last week, European Regional Policy Commissioner, Danuta Hübner and Dick Roche, Irish Minister of State for European Affairs, signed the key documents for the implementation of the Cohesion Policy in Ireland over the next seven years.

They signed the National Strategic Reference Framework and the two programmes, which will be supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), at a ceremony in Brussels.

The broad priorities in the framework will take shape through three operational programmes: one for investing in human resources (part funded by the European Social Fund (ESF)), one for Southern and Eastern Region (part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)), and one for the Border, Midlands and Western Region (part funded by the ERDF).

Commenting on Monday on the impact Structural Funds have had in Ireland, Cowen announced that:

“EU Structural Funds have played an important role in the unprecedented success of the Irish economy and the dramatic rise in the standard of living across all sectors of Irish society over the past ten to fifteen years."