, the Secretary of
State for Northern Ireland addressed attendees at a PEACE PLUS
programme launch event hosted by the Special EU Programmes
Body.
Good morning everyone, and thank you to Eimear for her very warm
introduction, and to Gina and her team for setting up a fantastic
launch event.
It is wonderful to be here today, at the New Forge Community
Development Trust, and to be joined by colleagues from the Irish
Government, European Commission and the Northern Ireland Civil
Service. I think we can all see, from this fantastic complex,
just some of the positive outcomes that have stemmed from a
series of long-running peace funding packages that have operated
since 1995.
Let me start by saying thank you to everyone here that continues
to work on securing the peace that the people on this island
enjoy in their everyday lives today and helping to move towards a
more reconciled society.
Thank you too to the Irish Government and the European Commission
for your work getting the financing agreement over the line,
ensuring funding can flow to those who need it most and
delivering those essential projects that promote stability,
foster cohesion and build prosperity.
As we are all aware, over the course of this year, communities
across Northern Ireland have marked the 25th anniversary of the
Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. This landmark agreement
continues to be an extraordinary achievement for Northern
Ireland, helping to lay the foundation of the more peaceful, free
and prosperous society that we see today. We can be proud to see
the huge strides of progress made over the past 25 years.
Although we have a positive story to tell in-terms of delivering
on the promise of the Agreement over the past 25 years, we also
acknowledge that there is more to be done to realise other
aspects of the Agreement’s ambition for a society that is
reconciled with the past and able to look to the future.
In view of our unyielding commitment to upholding the Agreement,
we will continue to work tirelessly to secure an even brighter,
more reconciled future for Northern Ireland, thereby enabling it
to look forward.
That is why we continue to support the work of the SEUPB,
following the UK’s exit from the European Union. We are providing
more than £730 million to the programme (almost 75% of the
budget), which includes match funding contributions from the
Northern Ireland Executive. Together with contributions from the
European Commission and Ireland of over £250 million, this brings
the total up to almost £1 billion, a huge investment from across
the international stage towards peace and prosperity as we mark
the anniversary of the Agreement and look forward to the next 25
years.
Since being appointed as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland,
I have had the opportunity to visit many of the brilliant people,
businesses, social enterprises and voluntary organisations across
Northern Ireland who are determined to improve the lives of their
families and communities, and just this morning, I have been
speaking to some of you about how you’ve been working towards
achieving these objectives.
I can see the great value and impact that you all have in
communities across Northern Ireland and the border region of
Ireland, and I am proud that this funding is available to support
the vital ongoing work to promote peace and reconciliation and
contribute to cross-border economic and territorial development.
This week also signifies an important moment for Northern
Ireland. Tomorrow leading investors and international businesses
will arrive in Belfast for the Northern Ireland Investment
Summit, as we bring together one of the largest groups of
investors Northern Ireland has ever seen.
This in itself is a testimony to the huge progress made over the
last 25 years and I am proud that we are able to promote the
unique economic strengths and opportunities in Northern Ireland
on a global stage. I have no doubt that the partnerships formed
in Belfast this week will lead Northern Ireland to a more
prosperous future.
The Windsor Framework agreed with the EU earlier this year also
marks a new era of partnership for the UK and EU and a stable
framework for the future. The Framework delivers stability for
the people of Northern Ireland, protects Northern Ireland’s place
in the Union, and preserves the balance in the Belfast (Good
Friday) Agreement.
Too often, in politics, we focus on the issues that divide us.
PEACE PLUS is there to counter this tendency; to promote peace
and reconciliation. I know you will all agree that PEACE PLUS
comes at a critical time and, as in previous programmes, will
significantly contribute to and support those initiatives aimed
at fostering cohesion across all communities.
I am determined that the PEACE PLUS projects and activities will
promote stability while also contributing to the economy;
building prosperity and supporting the levelling up of Northern
Ireland’s economy with the rest of the UK. A commitment I know is
shared across the sponsors of this programme.
