Happy Christmas from the Southern Regional Assembly!

Based in Waterford City, the Regional Assembly is one of three which represents each of the Irish regions. It is part of the local government sector and is responsible for managing EU programmes and projects, and for regional economic and spatial planning for the Southern Region of Ireland. The Southern Region covers the local authorities of Kilkenny, Carlow, Waterford, Wexford, Tipperary, Cork City, Cork County, Kerry, Clare and Limerick.

Assembly Members

Thirty-three local councillors from across the Southern Region sit as Members of the Regional Assembly. They are either nominated by their own local authority or appointed by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage as a member of the EU’s Committee of the Regions. 

Their work is to represent their local authorities at the level of the Southern Region on issues related to regional economic and spatial planning, and monitoring EU programmes, such as the ERDF Regional Programmes. The Committee of the Regions members also represent the Southern Region at EU level; the EU institution which is the voice our regions and cities in the EU law making process. 

Cllr. Oliver Walsh from Wexford County Council is our current Cathaoirleach. Assembly Members representing Tipperary County Council include Cllr. Siobhán Ambrose, Cllr. Noel Coonan, Cllr. Michael O’Meara, and Cllr. Michael Murphy who is appointed as a Committee of the Regions Member. Cllr. Murphy is also the Head of the Irish Committee of the Regions delegation.

ERDF Southern Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27

The Regional Assembly manages European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Regional Programmes, including the Southern & Eastern Regional Programme which ran until 2020 and the new Southern Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27.

In November, the European Commission approved the Southern Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27 which will invest €663 million in both the Southern Region and the Eastern & Midland Region for investments supporting research institutions (Technological Universities in particular), regional enterprises, communities and households.

Funding consists of €265 million from the ERDF and €398 million from the Government of Ireland under three strategic priority areas, Smarter More Competitive Regions, Greener More Energy Efficient Regions and Sustainable Urban Development.

In welcoming the Commission approval, Director of the Southern Regional Assembly David Kelly said: “this is great news for the two Irish regions in the programme area. The ERDF support will boost investment both within and between the Irish regions in crucial areas, such as driving research and commercialisation, reducing energy poverty, and contributing to local work on sustainable urban development. This is a significant investment in our regions, towns, and communities of Ireland, supporting jobs and businesses”.

The ERDF Regional Programmes have invested in Tipperary since 2000, including business supports for local microenterprises through the Local Enterprise Office and home energy grants for households through SEAI’s Better Energy Warmer Homes. 

Funding calls for the new ERDF Regional Programme will be managed by the Higher Education Authority, Science Foundation Ireland, and Enterprise Ireland, while SEAI will roll out deep energy retrofitting. The Regional Assembly in partnership with local authorities will manage sustainable urban development actions under the Town Centres First framework in selected towns in the two regions.

Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Southern Region

The Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27 is closely aligned with the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) for the Southern Region, which the Southern Regional Assembly is responsible for implementing. RSES is contributing to delivering the goals of Project Ireland 2040 and the National Development Plan. 

As part of this, in November the three Regional Assemblies in partnership with All Island Research Observatory and Ordinance Survey Ireland launched the Regional Development Monitor, a significant new planning innovation to provide a monitoring system and an online mapping viewer for key indicators of progress towards balanced regional development.

The ERDF Regional Programme 2021-27 and the RSES are aligned to maximise benefits for Irish regions and communities in the coming years.

Interreg Programmes & EU Projects

The Southern Regional Assembly also supports eligible organisations in project applicants under Interreg North-West Europe and Interreg Europe through our contact points and an ETC Project Officers Network. It also participates in EU projects on topics that support local authorities and contribute to the goals of the RSES. Most recently, the Regional Assembly has joined the Munster Technological University to work with other EU regions on Horizon Europe’s ROBIN project to support the delivery of better regional governance models in the bioeconomy. 

For further details on the Southern Regional Assembly, ERDF Regional Programmes, and the Regional Development Monitor, visit www.southernassembly.ie

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