EU Unit News | North West Updates | Funding and Projects | Networks and Collaboration | Policy Work

ISSUE 10 JULY 2016 EU UNIT UPDATE

WHATS INSIDE... welcome / Fáilte

This bulletin is produced by the EU Funding and Strategic Policy Unit of EU Unit News...... 2 County Council. The EU Unit works with all services of Donegal County Council to proactively target external funding opportunities, Funding and Projects...... 5 influence policy and identify EU networks of benefit to the Council. The Strategic Policy Unit promotes and support inter-agency networking North West Updates...... 9 and partnership across the wider north west region through a range of collaborative structures and projects. This bulletin will provide you with ...... Networks and Collaboration 11 all the latest news in relation to Donegal County Councils involvement in Policy Work...... 13 this important area of work.

Liam Ward, Director of Services, Donegal County Council

HERICOAST Project Underway

The HERICOAST project officially started on the 1st Aril 2016; the project will identify coastal settlements in of unique character and examine the built, cultural ,non- renewable, manmade & natural resources, traditions & lifestyle that form an essential part of the coastal landscape to encourage growth, particularly in the tourism sector. The project will build on the County’s location within the wider maritime & fluvial regions of Europe that also exist in great diversity, yet show parallels in spatial & political challenges to Donegal.

The opening conference was held in Vest-Agder, Norway from the 21st to the 24th June; Donegal County Council have prepared and will be presenting material on the heritage value of the coastal region and are on the project steering committee that will set out the course of the project across the partner regions.

For further information please contact: Clare McCallan / Alana Greene at the Central Planning Unit Donegal Posters prepared by Donegal County County Council Tel.: 074 9153900 Council for the opening conference in Vest-Agder, Norway EU UNIT NEWS

Interreg VB Atlantic archives in Atlantic regions related to Finally, the project will also impact the same historical period or event, on policy makers with a framework Area Programme e.g. Napoleonic Wars, World Wars or that identifies the required levels Atlantic migrations. of investment, programming and The first call under the programme management required to assist trails to closed on the 31st of May 2016. The aim is to improve policies for become more economically and socially Donegal County Council is lead or natural and cultural assets in Atlantic driven, thus increasing and attracting project partner in 5 projects under this Regions as a driving force for economic more visitors to the Atlantic regions. programme. Stage 1 Expressions of development. The project will facilitate The total project cost is €2,330,000 Interests were submitted on May 31st communities to create new local jobs, & the level of ERDF requested is and the Atlantic Area Joint Secretariat attract tourists, create synergies with €1,747,500. The project budget will be is now assessing these proposals. existing tourism providers, and improve spread across 4 Atlantic Area regions Successful applicants at stage 1 will economic and social well-being in consisting of 10 individual partners. be announced in September and project regions. Four hundred and For Further information please contact: will be invited to apply for stage 2 twenty five proposals were submitted Loretta McNicholas Donegal County of the application process. Stage 2 to Step 1 of this call for projects so Council, Tel.: 074 9153900 applications for successful applicants competition is high. will be submitted by 4th November Email: [email protected] 2016. For further information please contact: Barney Mc Laughlin, Tel.: 0749153900 CAPITEN Project Email: [email protected] Donegal County Council is a project partner in project Capiten which seeks TRAIL GAZERS Project to develop centres of excellence across Europe in the water and marine based The Trail Gazers partnership set out leisure sports sector. Building on the to develop and test a transnational malinwaters.com and Sailwest project, framework to enable the future Capiten will provide support for management and promotion of trails marketing and communications of across the Atlantic Area. The marine leisure opportunities and EUROVELO 1 framework will use digital technologies facilities in each partner region, training Atlantic On Bike project and indicators to develop trails in an for SMEs in how to take advantage of environmentally friendly, sustainable, Working with Mayo and Sligo County spin offs from the sector, and support cost effective and highly innovative Councils, Donegal County Council is a the development of marine leisure manner. The project consists of 7 partner in a bid for Eurovelo 1 (Atlantic events (e.g. Atlantic International distinct and interrelated Work on Bike), which seeks to create a challenge). This project will focus on Packages, which collectively measure necklace of cycling routes from the marine leisure potential of County the economic and social impact from Portugal to Norway. This project will, Donegal and building this further. if approved, attract additional funding investing and creatively promoting for the marketing and promotion of identified trails, in areas of rich, natural For further information please contact: cycleways, and connect existing and cultural heritage. The project will EU unit Donegal County Council, cycleways in an EU context, while also analyse existing and future levels of Tel.: 074 9153900 connecting with Sligo and Mayo into activity on chosen trails by establishing one overall EUROVELO route. a common set of economic, social and ReCONET 2020 Project environmental indicators; by utilising The aim of the ReCONET 2020 For further information please contact: innovative technologies and systems project is to improve the protection and EU unit Donegal County Council, (sensors, GIS, augmented reality) to connectivity of biodiversity and assess Tel.: 074 9153900 capture information on trails activity and payment for ecosytems services to by displaying these metrics via a ‘Trails improve water quality and conservation Tides of Time Project Dashboard’. status. This project will compliment ERNACT in partnership with Donegal The project will explore how new many of the actions required under the County Council and other EU technologies such as Go Pro cameras, Water Framework. Donegal County partners has been collaborating with drones and Talking Heads can be Council is a partner in this project a number of Atlantic Area regions, used to showcase trails to Atlantic working with cross border (AFBI) and including Atlantic Canada, to prepare tourist visitors via virtual experiences. EU partners. an application for the programme. By sharing of partner experiences and For further information please contact: The project will develop new types of knowledge the project will develop Eadaoin Healy, Donegal County transnational tourism packages based Destination Management Plans to Council, Tel.: 074 9153900. on connecting and jointly marketing preserve natural and cultural assets for maritime sites, museums and historical future generations.

EU UNIT NEWS 2 EU UNIT NEWS

OWLS - Older • Seminars and resource production a project that will be dealing with the to assist in policy influencing by issues of migration, gender equality and Women Learning older people. climate change in a way that highlights and Sharing • Establish a forum to investigate the way local actions can impact the role that older women can play in globally. Donegal County Council have recently mentoring younger members of submitted a bid to the DEAR funding society, with particular emphasis on Along with the Assembly of European call Lot 4 “Global Learning Education fostering social inclusive societies. Regions (AER), the project consortium and Campaigning and Advocacy • Develop web resources for ideas consists of partners from , Projects led by a local authority”. The exchange. Northern Ireland, Scotland, Croatia, OWLS Project (Older Women Learning • Conferences on themes such as Belgium, Spain and Romania. Donegal and Sharing) proposal is focused on migration, climate change, gender. County Council awaits feedback from the role of older women in societies • Develop practical actions with local the Commission and hope that we can and development education. and global influence, in respect of achieve a successful outcome and independent living in older age that have the opportunity to work on Stage The proposed activities include: make use of DEAR principles. 2 in September. • Assisting networks of older people to influence policy that impacts them This project will compliment the For further information please contact: and the SDG agenda, at local, LADDER project that Donegal County Charles Sweeney, Donegal County regional, national and global levels. Council is currently involved in and, Council 074 9153900. if succesful, would see Council lead

Minister for State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Joe McHugh, T.D., with participants at the LADDER National Level Training session for Elected Representatives and members of the Strategic Policy Committee held recently in Donegal.

Enterprise Ireland Marine Campus Incubation Centre Funding Call Enterprise Ireland has opened a be invited to submit a stage 2 full For more information please contact: competitive Call to Third-Level application by 23rd September 2016. EU unit, Donegal County Council, Institutions for Expressions of Interest Tel.: 074 9153900. Donegal County Council has attended for the establishment of a Marine a number of meetings along with key (including maritime) Campus Incubation local stakeholders to discuss the bid Centre. and to share plans, strategies and Applicant institutions should have a projects underway within the Council strong track record in research, industry and across the North West and cross collaborations and infrastructure in border regions. marine sectors. Institute of Technology is leading a bid to this call with a stage 1 closing date of 30th June. Successful applicants will

EU UNIT NEWS 3 EU UNIT NEWS

WaterPro Project

Survey of Finland, Agricultural the AFBI pilot site which aims to Commences University of Iceland, Lulea University demonstrate the positive effects that of Technology, Sweden, Agricultural SRC willow has on water quality when The WaterPro Project is supported by Agency, Faroe Islands, Lough Neagh planted for riparian protection. the Interreg VB Northern Periphery and Partnership, Magherafelt, Agri-Food Arctic Programme and will develop and Biosciences Institute, Belfast and For further information contact: sustainable systems to protect water Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh. Joanne Holmes, Donegal County quality from diffuse agricultural and Council, Tel.: 074 9153900, mining pollution. Donegal County Council recently Email: [email protected] attended the WaterPro Project launch Donegal County Council are partnering and first partner meeting at Agri-Food on the €2m project with Savonia and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), University of Applied Sciences Ltd, Hillsborough, Co Down and visited Finland, [Lead Partner], Geological

WaterPro Project Partners attend project launch in Hillsborough, Co Down

WaterPro Partners visit AFBI SRC Willow Pilot Site at Hillsborough

EU Unit news 4 funding and projects

A content creation strategy has been marine tourism target markets. deployed with a view to providing MalinWaters has also been promoted at The MalinWaters project continues to new, updated, relevant and interesting events such as Sea Symposium, West progress successfully with the delivery of content for the MalinWaters website Highland Yachting Week, Rosses Point the 2016 Marketing Plan well underway that will engage audiences and nurture Sea Shanty Festival and many more, with with important input from project social sharing and brand awareness. MalinWaters providing key marketing and partners. MalinWaters is promoted at several key financial support. A partner meeting will strategic events throughout the 2016 be held in the autumn and a full report on A new and updated version of the calendar including the Northern England marketing results provided at that time. MalinWaters map has been produced, Boat Show where MalinWaters took a which now includes new listings for promotional stand in conjunction with For further information contact: facilities such as and Bunagee, project partners Visit . This event Joy Harron, Marine Marketing plus new tourist attractions in all other was a huge success with all regions Development Officer, Donegal Tourism regions. promoted across the MalinWaters to key Ltd [email protected] A Google Ad Words campaign rolled out by award winning agency Wolfgang Digital is delivering significant traffic to the website. Three new MalinWaters Joy Harron at videos are in production and will be MalinWaters launched very soon and promoted via a promotional YouTube campaign. Facebook continues stand at the to grow with over 8200 likes and a much Northern larger reach of several thousand key England Boat target audiences. Show 2016

SECURE project has kick off meeting

Project partners at the steering group and partner meetings in Joensuu, Finland May 2016

SECURE (Smarter Energy The 3-year project officially kicked off The project kick-off has equipped Communities in Northern & Arctic in Joensuu (Finland) on 17-May. This partners with practical strategies, Regions) is a €1.8 million euro project brought the project partners together verified techniques and transnational part-funded by the Northern Periphery for their first steering group and partner knowhow to ensure positive outcomes and Arctic Programme. meetings. and results over the next three years.

It is led by ERNACT, with Donegal The project also hosted a seminar - County Council, Leitrim County Council Towards Energy Efficient Northern and Derry City & Strabane District Societies - where participants shared Council as the other Irish and UK knowledge, examined good energy partners. practices and made transnational links SECURE also has project partners in on a number of key issues specifically Sweden, Finland, Faroe Islands and related to awareness raising and Canada. societal support.

funding and projects 5 funding and projects

CAMBER Project (Centre for Advanced Marine & Bio-Energy Research)

Donegal County Council is a project partner in a bid for funding under the Research and Innovation measure of Interreg VA. The lead partner is CASE (Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy), located at Queen’s University Belfast.

The CAMBER project (and the five partner research institutions - Queen’s University Belfast, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, University of Highlands and Islands, University, Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute) along with Donegal County Council as project partner, will recruit 50 PhD students from across the cross (and 6 Post-Doctoral Research Associates).

CAMBER will support industry-led applied/pre-commercial collaborative research on a cross-border, interregional basis that is focused on two specific forms of renewable energy, which are considered to have the greatest sustainable potential & widest applicability in the region: • Marine renewable energy • Bio-energy

An expression of interest was submitted to the SEUPB on 6th May and the project has successfully been approved at stage 1 and has been invited to submit a stage 2 business case in August 2016

For further information please contact: EU unit, Donegal County Council, Tel.: 074 9153900

CatchmentCARE Project

Donegal County Council acting as the river basins. As Northern Ireland restoring water-bodies in border area lead partner for the CatchmentCARE and the share catchments by increasing catchment project recently submitted a Business three International river basins a resilience (biophysical, social and Plan for Stage 2 of the Interreg VA coordinated, cross-border approach economic) and developing stakeholder cross-border funding programme with a to the implementation of the EU Water capacity (community, government and decision expected from SEUPB by the Framework Directive is needed. NGOs) taking into consideration both end of July 2016. surface and groundwater. The CatchmentCARE project has The bid for funding is being made identified actions that go above and For further information contact: under the Environment measure, beyond those that agencies already Joanne Holmes, Donegal County specific objective 2.4: To improve have a statutory obligation to undertake Council Tel : 074 9153900, freshwater quality in cross-border and will address the core challenge of Email: [email protected]

funding and projects 6 funding and projects

Donegal County sessions and issues such as water Organisations can use to empower access, climate change, forestry, food them you to take ownership of the Council - LADDER waste, gender equality, environmental SDG agenda. National Training Event protection and promotion - are all The training was facilitated by Patsy concerns of local communities but Toland from Gorta Self Help Africa also of the Global Community. and the participants heard from Donegal County Council held the a number of key note speakers first of its LADDER National Training The programme seeks to investigate including: Sara Bourke, Social Sessions in Galway on the 13th and those links and promote action Justice Ireland, Abe Jacob, a retired 14th of June. The LADDER project through community projects. Working Acting Director of Service from South is an EU funded project that aims to with the 17 Sustainable Development Dublin County Council, Ronan Scully, raise awareness about the role local Goals (SDG), which were launched Gorta Self Help Africa and Elaine communities can have in achieving by the United Nations in 2016, the Nevin Eco Unesco. more just and fair Global Development. training sessions investigate the current and potential links that Local For further information please contact Donegal County Council have been Authorities and other Civil Society Joanne Kilmartin, Donegal County undertaking a number of local training Council, Tel.: 0749153900

Participants at the National Training Sessions in Galway

LADDER project Steering Committee Meeting Paris

Representatives of Donegal County Council recently attended the second LADDER steering Committee meeting held in Paris in May. The delegates were welcomed by Nikos Gamouras, project manager of LADDER, who presented to the committee the overall picture of implementation of the project activities.

Day one of the working meeting covered LADDER targets and the monitoring strategy and evaluation plan for the project. On day two the committee discussed the success of the local and national training events organised by the Local Authorities and allowed delegates discuss any pending issues regarding the implementation of the project and the LADDER Roadmap.

For further information please contact Joanne Kilmartin, Donegal County Council, Tel.: 0749153900

funding and projects 7 funding and projects

a lot of filming was carried out as a by the COSME programme of the new video promoting the WILDSEA European Union through the Executive Europe project will be launched in early Agency for Small and Medium-sized July. Businesses registered as part of Enterprises (EASME). The lead WILDSEA Europe who are listed on partner for the project is Travelecoology the website will be promoted across – Breakaway Travel SL (Spain) and WILDSEA Europe Europe to a large target audience via along with Donegal County Council, information session promotional events, online marketing the project is made up of partners from and collaboration with other EU project Italy, Croatia, Spain and the UK. A WILDSEA Europe information networks. session took place in the For further information please contact: Public Services Centre where local This project continues to progress Joy Harron, Marine Marketing stakeholders in the sector had the successfully towards a Development Officer, Donegal Tourism opportunity to find out more about the common goal of increasing ocean Ltd, Tel: + 353 (74) 9724431 project. The feedback from the literacy through responsible tourism. [email protected] WILDSEA Europe Information Session WILDSEA Europe is a joint initiative of was very positive in relation to the European tourism operators, public project with the majority of businesses administrations and NGOs, co-funded going on to register their listing on the new WILDSEA Europe website at www.wildsea.eu There was a lot of interest in wildlife watching as a tourism concept and as a means for local businesses to diversify their offerings for visitors to Donegal. The project partners also attended the session in Carndonagh and were delighted to meet with local providers and also enjoyed a tour of and Island with the National Parks & Wildlife Association. During this tour, Participants in the WILDSEA Europe information session in Carndonagh 2016

partners with valuable partner, associate Donegal County Council continues to Cool Route partner and stakeholder input, which will deliver a successful social media campaign be of great assistance in the continued and with the growing influence and reach of the Project ongoing development of the project. Dr Cool Route Facebook and Twitter pages. meeting in Breda Kenny, Head of the Hincks Centre for PR campaigns, e-mail newsletters, press Entrepreneurship Excellence at lead partner releases and blog articles also continue to Glasgow educational institution CIT, said “ongoing be produced and are raising awareness stakeholder engagement across the route of the Cool Route project across a wide Partners of the Northern Periphery and is key to exploiting the economic potential audience. The next meeting is due to take Arctic Programme funded Cool Route of the Cool Route project. The focus is place in Derry-Londonderry in October project recently held a number of meetings on bringing new business opportunities 2016. hosted by the Moffatt Centre for Travel and to a wide range of industries, ranging Tourism Business Development at Glasgow from operators of port facilities to local For further information contact: Joy Caledonian University in Scotland on the boatyards, cafes and restaurants, outdoor Harron, Marine Marketing Development 21st and 22nd of April 2016. The two day activity, heritage cultural and other visitor Officer Donegal Tourism Ltd Cool Route project event included in depth attractions throughout the Cool Route”. [email protected] talks amongst project partners on day 1, and on day 2 a stakeholder workshop with open discussion around the project took place. Donegal County Council provided an overview of the ongoing work in communications and dissemination of project information, with particular emphasis on the utilisation of digital marketing channels to raise awareness of the NPA Cool Route project.

Overall the Cool Route project meetings were extremely productive and provided Cool Route project partners at the recent gathering at Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland April 2016

funding and projects 8 NORTH WEST UPDATES

ERUDITE Project empowering businesses, citizens of services, the Open Innovation and public administrations; thereby process will be supported by Social This is a new project participated by stimulating demand and local and Economic Return on Investment ERNACT and that will directly input into innovation capacity potential, enabling (SEROI) studies providing data to the development of the Donegal Digital stakeholders to be partners in the illustrate global social and economic Action Plan. creation and operation of services that impacts and support more targeted improve territorial potential. investments. ERUDITE undertakes the design of new services supported by open To increase understanding of the The project has started in April 2016 innovation processes involving and design, operation and impacts and it’s now defining the framework where the aforementioned processes will be developed in the partner regions. For further information please contact: [email protected]

This is a project led by ERNACT and It adapts a novel living labs-driven with the participation of Donegal approach to maximise knowledge County Council and Derry and transfer between regions and Strabane District Council that was stakeholders. The partners are currently approved in the Northern Periphery using the co-production methodology and Arctic Programme. defined in the project to identify and prepare their facilitators to lead the With a total budget of €1.5 million process to create the public services and €560,000 specifically ring fenced with their community. The partner to benefit the North West region, regions will pilot these services mainly IMPROVE aims to increase the level grouped under the planning and of innovation in the six partner regions eHealth areas. The next project event is in the field of technology-driven public planned to take place in October 2016 service solutions. in Donegal.

For further information please contact: [email protected]

Vasternorrland (Sweden) partners and local champions 2016

NORTH WEST UPDATES 9 NORTH WEST UPDATES

Interreg VA Sustainable transport Call - North West Greenways Network

Donegal County Council along with Muff. The project is the result of close Additional benefits such a project lead Partner Derry City & Strabane collaboration with project partners will bring to the region in addition District council have recently submitted including Sustrans and Department to sustainable transport & carbon a Business Plan for Stage 2 of the of Infrastructure (formerly Regional reduction, is that Greenway Interreg VA cross-border funding Development) NI. infrastructure can contribute to other programme with a decision expected policy themes such as environment, from SEUPB by the end of July 2016. The project aims to develop approx civic pride, social community 40km of infrastructure utilising new engagement, recreation, health & This project aligns with the Operational lands, existing footpaths and old tourism. programme to develop physical railways lines for the majority of the cross border greenway and walking routes to affect a modal shift in cross For more information please contact: routes at three strategic locations; border vehicular behaviour. Eunan O Donnell, Donegal County Derry- Letterkenny via Bridgend, Council, Tel.: 0749153900 Derry- via Strabane and Derry-

ENTERPRISE EUROPE NETWORK - Local Enterprise Office

Work is on-going on the publicity of Work is on-going with our Northern for business opportunities that might the Enterprise Europe Network and Ireland colleagues in Invest NI help some clients expand their existing training of staff. Some Donegal Local organising some cross border business. Enterprise Office executives have met events for the mutual benefit of our with colleagues in Scotland for profile clients. A project review was carried For further information please contact writing training and delivered that to out last month and proposals have Eileen Kelly, Enterprise Europe Network most of their colleagues around the been submitted for the next 2 year Co-ordinator on Tel.: 074 9160735, country while others have been to programme. All the time, recruitment of [email protected] Brussels for finance training which clients is on-going along with looking will be passed on at the next Local Enterprise Network meeting.

NORTH WEST UPDATES 10 networks and collaboration

FEDETON General Assembly Meeting takes place in Donegal FEDETON (The EU Federation of Terence Slowey and Donegal influential networks such as FEDETON. Nautical Tourism Destinations) held County Council Chief Executive Delegates enjoyed a tour of Donegal’s their General Assembly Meeting in Seamus Neely welcomed the delegates marine tourism assets including St. Donegal Town hosted by Donegal to Donegal. John’s Point, Killybegs, Sliabh Liag, County Council and Donegal Tourism and other hidden gems Ltd and attended by the FEDETON The event provided an opportunity of our county. President, Mr. Bernard Faucon. to showcase County Donegal to FEDETON and promote the county For further information please The General Assembly meeting took as a marine tourism destination of contact: Joy Harron, Marine Marketing place on 7th July 2016 with delegates excellence. This event also provides Development Officer, Donegal attending from France, Spain, Italy, a platform to discuss potential future Tourism Ltd, Tel: + 353 (74) 9724431 Croatia and a number of other EU EU marine tourism projects and [email protected] countries. Donegal Cathaoirleach Cllr. collaborations with important and

Donegal Cathaoirleach Cllr. Terence Slowey with speakers and attendees at the Marine Tourism Seminar

Donegal Marine Tourism Seminar On Friday 8th July Donegal County Topics presented on the day included A Q&A session took place at Council in association with Donegal EU and other funding opportunities for the end of the day offering attendees Tourism Ltd hosted a marine tourism tourism providers and a case study of the opportunity to discuss marine themed seminar with keynote speakers local marine tourism business Inish tourism topics with the expert panel of from the sector and attended by Adventures . Dr. Peter Bolan from speakers. businesses from across Donegal who the University of Ulster talked about engage in marine tourism activities. harnessing the power of digital for For further information please The seminar was funded by Donegal your marine tourism business and contact: Joy Harron, Marine Marketing County Council, MalinWaters and Alan Rankin from Ciogach Consulting Development Officer, Donegal with support provided by the Marine presented on the Scottish marine Tourism Ltd, Tel: + 353 (74) 9724431 Institute and funded under the Marine tourism strategy ‘Awakening the [email protected] Research Sub-programme by the Irish Giant. Other speakers included Olivia Government. Crossan from An Taisce’s Clean Coast initiative and Joy Harron, Marine Tourism Officer with Donegal Tourism.

networks and collaboration 11 networks and collaboration

EUROVELO Workshop – Atlantic On Bike through Norway. There exists a considerable tourism potential with a On May 24th the EU unit attended a unique and untapped resource. technical writing workshop along with fellow Irish partners Mayo and Sligo The project provides an opportunity to County Councils. The workshop took improve this situation and to diversify place in Biarritz and was attended by the tourism products and services all the partners from Portugal, Spain, on offer, while unlocking the huge France, Ireland and Norway. During the potential in terms of natural and cultural workshop project partners developed heritage offered by the selected each of the work packages in areas, by structuring a competitive preparation for the stage 1 application offer, identifying the right demand and deadline of May 31st to the Interreg VB implementing an efficient business plan Irish partners attending the workshop, Atlantic Area Programme. strategic approach to the route. Robert Coyne Mayo County Council, Michael Carty Sligo County Council The project focuses on the For further information please contact: Cllr. Michael Holmes Mayo County Eurovelo cycling route and provides EU unit Donegal County Council, Council & Trevor Scanlon Donegal opportunities to enhance the Tel.: 074 9153900 County Council 2016 connectivity of the route from Portugal

Meeting with Údarás na Gaeltachta

The EU unit held a meeting with Údarás na Gaeltachta on 16th June.

The meeting provided an opportunity for Údarás to learn of the model which been operated by the Council to attract EU funding, develop EU networks of benefit to the Council and inform EU policies and future funding programmes. Information on the range of social, cultural, community and economic projects underway was provided.

The meeting proved beneficial in providing an opportunity for knowledge exchange and collaboration around areas of common interest.

For more information please contact: EU unit Donegal County Council, Tel.: 074 9153900

EU unit meeting with the Dolmen Centre Committee

At the request of the Water and When the Dolmen Centre was sustainable development. Arising from Environment section of Donegal constructed in 2000 it hosted a the meeting links are being established County Council, the EU unit met with number of novel technologies namely, between the group and the Northern representatives of the Dolmen Centre Solar Panels, Geothermal underfloor and Western Regional Assembly with committee. heating, a Reed Bed sewerage a view towards identifying potential treatment system, and a 5Kw wind EU funding and partner networks of The Narin, Portnoo, Rosbeg Commuity turbine. interest. Co-Operative Society Limited came into being in 1994, and through The EU unit had been asked to provide For further information please contact: local fund raising and several grants, information to the centre on potential EU unit Donegal County Council, constructed the Dolmen Centre in EU funding sources under the theme of Tel.:074 9153900 2000. energy efficiency, carbon reduction and

networks and collaboration 12 POLICY WORK

Donegal EU unit A detailed report was provided to the networking and policy work was also members with an update on the work highlighted to the committee. The EU attendance at of the EU Unit during Quarter 2 2016 unit acknowledge the role of the SPC SPC meeting under the three headings of: and the elected council in supporting 1. External Funding the ongoing programme of work being On 21st June 2016, the EU unit was 2. Networks/Collaboration, and undertaken by the EU unit. The next invited to attend the Community, 3. Policy work. report on activity will be submitted in Social and Cultural Strategic Policy October 2016. Committee meeting. Members of Information was provided to members the SPC requested that the EU unit on the funding bids underway, recent For further information please contact: provide summary reports of activity and approvals and plans for the second EU unit Donegal County Council, Tel.: work programmes to their meetings. half of 2016. Important and valuable 074 9153900

PEACE IV Programme

The recently established LCDC PEACE A stage 1 application has been survey providing additional IV Partnership is as a sub-committee of developed and submitted to the Special opportunity for feedback on community the Local Community Development EU Programmes’ Body (SEUPB) priorities and needs for future activities. Committee and has been tasked in response to the need to build The survey is available at the with leading the development and upon the success of the PEACE III following link until 22nd July 2016: implementation of a two stage Peace programme and further embed Peace https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ IV Action Plan for County Donegal. This and Reconciliation within the ever B2P99NF Plan will address a targeted and locally changing demographic and dynamic based response to the needs that within and beyond County Donegal. Following this process, a Stage have been identified in the PEACE IV In order to ensure that the indicative 2 application will be developed in Cooperation Programme 2014 – 2020. actions are representative of current conjunction with the PEACE IV The Donegal PEACE IV Action and anticipated community needs and Partnership and submitted to the aspirations, six public consultation Special EU Programmes’ Body for Plan has been given an indicative figure events were delivered at the end of June consideration in early September 2016. of €5.5 million to deliver a range of to refine proposals and seek feedback actions under the following 3 objectives: For further information please contact: on intervention options • Children and Young People Anne McElchar, E-mail: amcelchar@ for inclusion within the plan. These • Shared Spaces & Services donegalcoco.ie Tel.: 074 91 53 900 events are being supported by an online • Building Positive Relations

POLICY WORK 13 POLICY WORK

Northern Periphery and Arctic 2014 - 2020 Programme – Fourth Call Announcement 1st May – 30th November 2016 The Fourth Call for main project applications is open from the May 1st 2016. In connection to the outcome of the UK referendum, it has been decided to extend the Fourth Call deadline by 2 months, from September 30th until November 30th 2016. The call is open for all 4 Priority Axes. However, Terms of Reference have been formulated encouraging applicants to address specific actions, target groups, and sectors.

The Monitoring Committee will decide on Fourth Call applications approximately 2-3 months after the call deadline has been agreed. Details about the call including the Terms of Reference can be found in the Fourth Call Announcement, which applicants must read carefully.

Applications must be submitted through an electronic monitoring system (eMS), which is available on the link: www.ems.interreg-npa.eu. The application pack with all necessary supporting documents can be found on the right-hand side and in eMS.

For further information please contact: EU unit, Donegal County Council, Tel.: 074 9153900.

Atlantic Stakeholder Conference, Dublin, 27 September 2016 The third Atlantic Stakeholder give prominence to the international Registration for attendance is free and Conference will be held in Croke Park, dimension of the strategy and its is now open at the following link: http:// Dublin on the 27th September 2016. potential for the Blue Economy. www.atlanticstrategy.eu/en/news- This annual conference aims to bring and-events/news/atlantic-stakeholder- together stakeholders for the Atlantic This year’s conference will be opened conference-dublin-ireland. Strategy to make contacts and explore by Mr. Michael Creed, Minister for areas for cooperation, share information Agriculture, Food and the Marine For more information please contact: and best practice, and identify possible and the Mr. Karmenu Vella, the EU EU unit, Donegal County Council, project ideas and funding opportunities. Commissioner for Environment, Tel.: 074 9153900 Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. The conference will be focused on The conference agenda also includes Promoting Entrepreneurship and the presentation of the Atlantic Innovation in the Atlantic area in Project Awards which will recognize line with Priority one of the Atlantic outstanding achievements in the field of Area Strategy and it will also seek to sustainable “Blue Growth”.

EU Unit Contact Details

EU & Strategic Policy EU Unit Funding EU Unit Funding European Unit Manager - Officer - Assistant - Policy Officer - Maria Ferguson Roisin Kelly Trevor Scanlon Roisin McBride e-mail: e-mail: e-mail: e-mail: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Tel: +353 (0) 74 915 3900 Tel: +353 (0) 74 915 3900 Tel: +353 (0) 74 915 3900 Tel: +353 (0) 74 915 3900

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