- Michael Buckley, Head of ETC First Level Control: mbuckley@southernassembly.ie
- Eve Hayden, Senior First Level Controller: ehayden@southernassembly.ie
- Edel Hunt, Senior First Level Controller: ehunt@southernassembly.ie
- Elayne McDonnell, Senior First Level Controller: emcdonnell@southernassembly.ie
- Yvonne Cooney, Assistant Staff Officer: ycooney@southernassembly.ie
First Level Control (FLC) is a guarantee for European Territorial Cooperation Programme Authorities and project partners that the co-funded costs are accounted for and eligible.
It involves checks/ audits of project expenditure during implementation on the delivery of products and services as per the approved application form, soundness of declared expenditure, and compliance with Programme, EU and national rules.
FLC covers 100% of declared project spend through two verifications checks: desk-based checks on payment claims, and on-the-spot checks at the project partner’s office on a sample basis.
Ireland has designated a centralised FLC system. The Southern Regional Assembly is a designated FLC Central Regional Approbation Authority with responsibility for auditing all payment claims of Irish project lead partners and all Irish project partners regardless of the nationality of the project’s lead partner.
The Assembly validates expenditure claims for five ETC programmes, Ireland Wales Programme, Interreg North-West Europe, Northern Periphery & Arctic, Interreg Europe, and URBACT.
Project Lead Partners
Lead Partners are accountable to their co-funding programme for costs incurred by all project partners, project administration, management, and internal/ external control systems, as per the approved project application form. The project's partnership agreement must outline the responsibilities of each partner.
The Lead Partner’s First Level Controller will certify the composite project payment claim, ensure that each partner’s expenses relate to the activities set out in the application form, and verify that expenses have been validated by the relevant approved Controller.
ETC FLC Unit, Southern Regional Assembly, Assembly House, O’Connell Street, Waterford T: +353 51 860 700 E: FLC@southernassembly.ie
