EU Peace III Programme

Amounts funded

PEACE III drew on a €225m pot from the European Union, with a further €108m made up from national contributions. The eligible area for the PEACE III Programme was Northern Ireland and the border counties of Louth, Monaghan, Cavan, Leitrim, Sligo and Donegal.

The department was responsible for the theme of Creating Shared Public Spaces. Over the PEACE III funding cycle, DfC paid out over €68m of a total priority value of €107m, from which 75 per cent was reimbursed from the European Commission.

The PEACE III programme ran from 2007 – 2013 but projects continued to be delivered until 31 December 2015.

PEACE III project list

Below is a list of the 18 shared space projects funded under PEACE III. The links to external websites and facebook pages will give an insight to how these projects are currently being used by the community:

• The Skainos Centre, Belfast
• The River Foyle Foot and Cycle Bridge (The Peace Bridge)
• The Termon Project, Pettigo Co Donegal
• Oasis - Omagh Accessible Shared Inclusive Space
• The Glen Community Complex, Belfast
• Bridges Urban Sports Park, Belfast
• Castle Saunderson International Scout Centre, Belturbet Co Cavan
• Small Wonders Child Care, Belfast
• Apprentice Boys of Derry - Siege Museum
• The Girdwood Community Hub, Belfast
• The PEACE Link Sports Facility, Clones
• Restoration of the SS Nomadic, Belfast
• The People's Park, Portadown
• The EARLS Project, Dungannon
• Voices from the Valley Park, Newtownabbey
• Sharing our Space - Groundwork NI
• City Centre Garden of Reflection, Derry/Londonderry
• Orange and Interpretive Educational Resource, Belfast and Loughgall

Examples of PEACE III projects

The Peace Bridge

The construction of an iconic foot and cycle bridge acts as a catalyst for change, joining the city physically, promoting interaction and engagement among communities and bringing back into public use, the former Ebrington Military Barracks, for the first time in over 150 years, creating a new shared space and ultimately contributing to a new shared society.

Castle Saunderson Scouting Jamboree

The project is located in the Castle Saunderson estate, which straddles the border between Co Fermanagh and Co Monaghan, has created an all Ireland permanent jamboree site, attracting young people from throughout Ireland and abroad for regional, national and international events.

The Peace Link Sports Facility

The project creates a cross-border sports and recreational facility for the benefit of people living in Clones (County Monaghan) and Erne East (eastern part of County Fermanagh). It promotes active participation in sporting endeavours on a cross-community basis in order to build positive relationships from people of different backgrounds and cultures.

Skainos Project

This project provides shared space for community transformation and renewal and contributes to the economic regeneration of Inner East Belfast. It provides a community hall, community café, day nursery and several activity rooms, including a dance studio, arts and crafts room, IT suite and a Belfast Metropolitan College training facility. A significant element of social housing is also included in the overall scheme which has provided apartments and supported housing for the homeless.

Small Wonders Childcare II

The Small Wonders project is based within the Lower Shankill and Lower Falls area provides a high quality childcare and education facility for use on a cross community basis. The project has been developed by the Shankill Women’s Centre.

Contact

Any queries should be directed to the European Branch (Urban Policy) As well as the responsibilities shown above this Unit also deals with issues arising from former EU Programmes such as Peace I, Urban I, Physical Social and Environmental Programme, Interreg IIA, Peace II, Urban II, Building Sustainable Prosperity and Interreg IIIA.