County Galway is to receive money from the European Union through a new funding programme aimed at helping coastal areas in Europe.

The Northern Periphery Programme has a total budget of around €59 million over seven years, with €35 million of this coming from the European Regional Development Fund. Counties Galway, Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo and Mayo in the 'Border, Midland and Western' region and 'Southern and Eastern' counties Clare, Limerick, Cork and Kerry will also benefit.

Most of the money (56 per cent) will go towards promoting innovation and competitiveness in remote and peripheral areas. This means the development of road transport and other forms of public and private transport, short sea shipping, increasing the capacity to prevent and respond to emergencies and natural disasters and creating networks for cooperation between research institutions and small and medium sized enterprises. More than one third of the funds (38 per cent) will be invested in the sustainable development of natural resources.

The most recent call for participation has just been issued and the deadline is in early March. On average there are two calls per year.

The transnational cooperation programme also includes parts of Finland, Sweden, the UK, the Faeroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland and Norway.

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