Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has announced €1.14 billion in funding for reconciliation and greater prosperity across Northern Ireland.

The funding is part of PEACEPLUS, a new EU programme to support peace reconciliation across the Northern Irish counties and border counties of Ireland.

This morning, the Taoiseach and Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe will meet the European Commission Vice President Maros Šefčovič, and the UK’s Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

The group will discuss peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the implementation of the Windsor Framework. 

Taoiseach Vardakar will also engage in discussions with representatives from the UK Government on the restoration of the power-sharing institutions and the British-Irish partnership.

There will be a focus on Government’s concerns relating to the UK Government’s Legacy Bill, which will end inquests into atrocities committed during Northern Ireland’s 30-year conflict.

This is the latest instalment of a programme that began in 1995 to support peace and reconciliation and takes the place of two previous programmes implemented when the United Kingdom was part of the European Union.