Wales’ First Minister, Carwyn Jones, has committed to strengthening the cross-border relationship with Ireland in a White Paper setting out the Welsh Government’s plan for the UK’s exit from the European Union.

The Ireland Wales Programme Steering Committee (PSC) will meet to review and discuss activity to date and to consider requests for funding.  The PSC  meet periodically during the programme period to assess progress and to consider requests for funding.

More than €4m of EU funds will help to safeguard heritage and coastal tourism sites in Wales and Ireland from the risks of climate change.

The funding will also provide a stimulus for marine-based economic growth in the two countries.

The ACT project (Advanced Communication Technologies) assisted small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) across West Wales and South East Ireland to understand social media and take advantage of opportunities it offers for online business growth.

Smart Coasts = Sustainable Communities, an award-winning project supported by the 2007-2013 programme, helped improve the quality of coastal areas on both sides of the Irish Sea to boost tourism and support local economies.

Members of the Programme Monitoring Committee met in Cork last week to discuss progress of the 2014-2020 Ireland-Wales Co-operation programme.

More than €9m of EU funding will be invested in a new two-nation project to expand the life sciences sector in Wales and Ireland.

Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, Mark Drakeford, met Irish Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe, in Dublin last week to discuss the progress of the Ireland-Wales programme.

The 7th October 2016 sees the launch in Dublin of the first operation to have been awarded funding from the Ireland Wales Co-operation Programme for 2014-2020.

The First Minister has welcomed today's structural funds announcement from the UK Government.