The Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27 is co-financed by the European Union and the Government of Ireland.

The Programme supports balanced regional development by co-funding investment under EU policy objectives of a more competitive and smarter Europe, a greener, transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe, and a Europe closer to citizens by fostering sustainable and integrated development at regional level.

It is aligned with the Government’s aim of promoting balanced regional development by supporting the implementation of the Regional Economic and Spatial Strategies in each of the two Programme regions (Southern Region and Eastern & Midland Region).

The Programme will invest €663 million, supported by €265 million ERDF and €398 million Government of Ireland funding, to strengthen EU economic, social and territorial cohesion by correcting imbalances between regions under three strategic priority areas:

Smarter More Competitive Regions: Building RD&I capacity in regional public research institutions, accelerating commercialisation of cutting-edge research at regional level, supporting innovation diffusion and strengthening regional innovation ecosystems in line with Ireland's Smart Specialisation Strategy and Regional Enterprise Plans.

Greener More Energy Efficient Regions & a Just Transition: Scaling up investment to improve energy efficiency of residential homes, targeting homeowners in/ at risk of energy poverty. 

Sustainable Urban Development in our Regions: An integrated strategic approach to the regeneration of towns using a Town Centres First Framework. 

The Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme Area comprises two of Ireland's three NUTS II regions - the Southern Region and the Eastern & Midland Region. The Programme Area has six NUTS III regions, within them are 22 local authority areas:

Southern Region: 

Mid West: Limerick City & County, Clare

South West: Cork City, Cork County, Kerry

South East: Waterford City & County, Carlow, Tipperary, Wexford, Kilkenny

Eastern & Midland Region: 

Eastern: Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Louth

Midland: Westmeath, Laois, Offaly, Longford

Dublin: Dublin City, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, South Dublin

The Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27: Programme Document  sets out the aims, objectives and a full implementation plan for the Programme.

Programme Strategic Environmental Assessment Documents

• Southern, Eastern & Midland: Strategic Environmental Assessment Statement
• Southern, Eastern & Midland: Strategic Environmental Assessment Environmental Report
• Southern, Eastern & Midland: Strategic Environmental Assessment Non-Technical Summary
• Southern, Eastern & Midland: AA Natura Impact Statement
• Southern, Eastern & Midland: Appropriate Assessment Determination

The Monitoring Committee monitors the implementation of the Regional Programme against the objectives set out in the Programme Document.

The Committee comprises representatives of relevant Programme Partner organisations from from public, private and third sector organisations. It meets yearly to review all issues affecting the progress of the Regional Programme towards achieving its objectives.

The Committee's overall role is underpinned by Arts 38-40 of the Common Provisions Regulation 2021/1060. It has agreed rules of procedure, including provision to prevent conflict of interest and the application of the principle of transparency.

Southern, Eastern & Midland Monitoring Committee Membership 2023

Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme Monitoring Committee Rules of Procedure V1.2

Our higher education institutions are intrinsic to growing the regional knowledge economy. They educate leaders, foster research and support entrepreneurship, and this strengthens the fibre of our regions by attracting talented professionals to higher quality jobs in adaptable industries.

The ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme will drive this by supporting the Technological Universities as they collaborate with other research institutions and form partnerships with enterprises in their new era to further innovation and commercialisation possibilities across both Irish regions. 

Priority 1 will build research, development and innovation capacity in the public research institutions of the Programme Area by focusing on developing and enhancing research and innovation capacity and advanced technologies uptake, fostering sustainable growth, competitiveness and job creation in SMEs, including by productive investments.

The objectives of Priority 1 will be delivered through six streamlined programmes in the Southern, Eastern & Midland Programme Area. These will be roled out by Programme Delivery Partners - Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), Enterprise Ireland (EI) and the Higher Education Authority (HEA).

• SFI Accelerating Research Commercialisation: Establish two regional smart hubs for research, training, innovation, commercialisation
• EI Technology Gateways: Collaboration & Sync with industry/ industry needs
• EI KT Boost: Develop Technology Transfer Specialists to help with commercialisation opportunities
• EI Inovators' Initiative: Develop and deliver an immersive needs-led innovation training programme
• HEA Research, Development, Innovation & Integration: Drive Capacity of the new Technology Universities to drive and support regional research, capacity building & innovation
• EI Smart Regional Enterprise Innovation: Provide appropriate infrastructure and key staff resources to deliver innovative solutions, support programmes and an impetus for entrepreneurship, start-ups and scaling companies

The Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27 will support owner-occupiers of residential homes who are in, or at risk of, fuel poverty across the Programme Area through deep retrofitting activities.

This will increase the energy efficiency of their homes and reduce the amount spent on fuel. This deep retrofitting activity will be rolled out by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland as a part of the Better Homes initiative. 

Cities and urban centres are considered both the source of and the solution to many key challenges the world is facing today such as environmental issues and climate change, digital revolution, demographic changes, migration and social inequalities.

In Europe, urban areas are home to over two-thirds of the EU's population, they account for about 80 % of energy use and generate up to 85 % of Europe's GDP. Urban areas are also the engines of the European economy, hubs of creativity and innovation.

They add value and act as centres contributing to the development of their wider regions and rural hinterlands and contribute balanced territorial development of the EU but face significant challenges.

The Southern & Eastern Regional PRogramme 2021-27 will support our regional towns using a Town Centres First approach.

This programme will be co-funded in the Southern, Eastern & Midland programme area by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme 2021-27 under Priority 1: A more competitive and smarter Europe by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation and regional ICT connectivity, and Specific Objective 1.1: Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies.

Enterprise Ireland is pleased to announce a call for application to the Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateway Programme 2023-29. Eligible institutions are invited to submit applications for funding in accordance with the Programme Guidelines and using the Application Form.

Geographic Regions Covered: Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateways Programme 2023-29 covers the Southern, Eastern and Midland Programme Area.

Eligibility of Applications: applications from Dundalk IT, Technological University Dublin, Munster Technological University, South-East Technological University and Technological University of the Shannon: Midland Midwest are eligible in the Southern, Eastern & Midland Programme Area. It allows for a collaborative application where the experience and expertise of two or more institutions will bring significant added value through the achievement of an industry impact by the Technology Gateway that would not otherwise be possible. The host employing the Technology Gateway Manager will be deemed as ‘lead’ institution. Each consortium memberwill receive its own separate individual contract.

Total Amount of Support: total budget for supports available is €47m, of which €17.37m is co-financed by the ERDF (€12.72m under the Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme).

State Aid Basis: the support is non-State aid. The Programme has been specifically designed to comply with the EU Framework for State Aid for Research & Development and Innovation (2014/C 198/01) as a non-State aid support. Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the criteria determining categorisation as ‘Research and Knowledge Dissemination Organisations and/or Research Infrastructures’ to be eligible. This will be validated by reference to the State Aid Check List (Appendix 2 of the application form).

Call Start/ End Dates: start date November 14th 2022. The deadline for applications is 12pm on Wednesday 4th January 2023. Applications received after this time will not be eligible.

Application Process: applications should include an electronic copy (MS Word format, not pdf) signed by the host institution's relevant persons to GA-TechnologyGatewayCall2022@enterprise-ireland.com

A briefing workshop on the Application & Assessment process will be held on Monday 21st November at 10am in the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise, including a Q&A session.

Following  the receipt of your application, you will be invited to meet the Assessment Panel to discuss your application in further detail in a Q&A session hosted in Enterprise Ireland’s Eastpoint or Shannon offices between 30th January- 9th February 2023. You will receive written comments on your application a week prior to this meeting.

Further information: mark.whelan@enterprise-ireland.com before Wednesday the 14th December 2022. Full information is available on the Technology Gateways website. 

Enterprise Ireland has announced a call for applications to the Knowledge Transfer (KT) Boost Programme for funding in accordance with the KT Boost guidelines and the application form. Please advise if you wish to avail of content in an accessible format.

KT Boost is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Regional Programmes 2021-27, and as such all applicants must comply with the relevant EU regulations as outlined in the guidelines and application form. Failure to do so will render the application ineligible for funding.

KT Boost in the Southern Region and the Eastern & Midland Region of Ireland is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union under the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-2027 and will support the following Policy Objective and Specific Objective:

• Policy Objective 1: A more competitive and smarter Europe by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation and regional ICT connectivity
• Specific Objective: Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies

Eligibility of Applications

The Programme is open to applications from existing Technological Universities (incl. designate technological universities) and Universities. Eligible Institutions: Technological University Dublin, Munster Technological University, South East Technological University, Technological University of the Shannon: Midland Midwest, University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Maynooth University, University College Cork and University of Limerick

Support Available

The total budget for supports available for the four-year programme is €33.4 million, of which €12.37million is co-financed by the ERDF. The ERDF co-financing is broken down as €9.17 million for beneficiaries located in the Southern, Eastern and Midland Region with an additional €18.88m coming from the State.

Call Start and End Dates

The call opens on 23^rd February 2023. The deadline for applications is 12pm on 24th March 2023. Applications received after this time will not be eligible. The application should include an electronic copy (MS Word, not pdf) signed by the relevant persons in the host institution. The electronic copy should be sent to ursula.okeeffe@knowledgetransferireland.com by the deadline. For queries on the application process, please contact jennifer.malone@knowledgetransferireland.com

For information on the call visit the Knowledge Transfer Ireland or Enterprise Ireland websites.

Enterprise Ireland has announced a competitive call for applications to the Innovators’ Initiative: Pioneering Smart Futures 2023-2029.

Research Performing Organisations based in the Republic of Ireland are invited to submit applications for funding in accordance with the Innovators’ Initiative Call Guidance Document and Application Form. All  applicants must comply with the relevant EU regulations as outlined in the Innovators’ Initiative Call Guidance Document and Application Form. Failure to do so will render the application ineligible for funding.

The Innovators' Initiative is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union under the ERDF Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme 2021-27 and the ERDF Northern and Western Regional Programme 2021-27. The Innovators’ Initiative will support the following ERDF objectives:

• Policy Objective 1: A more competitive and smarter Europe by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation and regional ICT connectivity
• Specific Objective: Developing and enhancing research & innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies

Objective

The objective of the Innovators’ Initiative is to create a series of multi-year training programmes. Each programme will be hosted in Irish publicly funded RPOs, delivering highly qualified innovation champions with the necessary skillset to observe and identify market led opportunities in key sectors of national and regional importance in Ireland.

Eligibility of Applications

The Initiative is open to publicly funded RPOs based in the Republic of Ireland.

Ineligible applicants: Individual companies, clusters of companies or sectoral representative bodies cannot apply directly for funding nor are they eligible for direct funding via the programme budget.

Geographic Regions Covered

The Enterprise Ireland Innovators’ Initiative is co-funded by two ERDF Regional Programmes. Eligible institutions will be co-funded according to their location within the relevant programme area - the Southern, Eastern & Midland Programme Area or the Northern & Western Programme Area.

Total Amount of Support 

The total budget for supports available is €30 million, of which €19.6m is funded through the Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27 and €5.9m is funded through the Northern & Western Regional Programme 2021-27. The ERDF co-funding is 40% for projects in the Southern, Eastern and Midlands Region and 60% for the Northern and Western Region. Additional funding was also made available from the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment totalling €4.3m. Contracts will last up to seven years.

Call Start and End Dates

The call start date is 23rd February 2023, and the deadline for applications is 12pm (noon) on Monday 17th of April 2023. Applications received after this time will not be eligible.

Application Process

Applications should include an electronic copy (MS Word format and pdf) signed by relevant persons in the Host RPO, sent to innovatorsinitiative@enterprise-ireland.com by the deadline.

An online briefing workshop on the application and assessment process for the Innovators’ Initiative will be held soon after the call is launched. This will include a Q&A session where we hope to answer any queries you may have. We strongly recommend that you attend this workshop. FAQs to support your application submission will be available following the workshop.

Following on from the receipt of your applications, you may be invited to meet an assessment panel to discuss your application in further detail in a Q&A session hosted by Enterprise Ireland.

To learn more about the Innovators’ Initiative, contact us: innovatorsinitiative@enterprise-ireland.com and visit the Enterprise Ireland website.