The East Border Region local authority led cross-border group has been successful in securing over €1.3 million investment to fund the BRIDGE Project, with the project officially launched in the Canal Court Hotel in Newry Co. Down, on Friday the 25th of September 2026.
This project is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Executive. This project is funded under Investment Area 1.2 Empowering Communities, Strand 2 The Institutional Capacity Development Programme (Specific Objective ISO4.2)
The BRIDGE (Building Resilient Institutions for Development, Governance, and Engagement) project is a cross-border initiative that aims to strengthen governance, leadership, and institutional capacity in the border counties of Northern Ireland and Ireland. By addressing long-standing governance challenges and leveraging skills development and collaboration, BRIDGE seeks to build institutional capacity, trust in leadership and a sustainable border region.
Led by East Border Region – in partnership with the Irish Central Border Area Network (ICBAN) – the partners will engage with 12 local authorities and involve 775 participants, including locally elected members and local government officials over 3 years.
The BRIDGE project responds to long-standing challenges affecting cross-border cooperation in the border counties of Northern Ireland and Ireland. Years of political division, combined with limited investment in institutional capacity, have made it more difficult for councils and cross-border networks to align policies, share learning and deliver joint approaches to common issues.
BRIDGE has been designed to address these challenges by strengthening leadership, improving collaboration and supporting more coordinated decision-making across the region through:
- Strategic Leadership Development and Decision-Making Training
- Cross-Border Governance and Policy Alignment Training (Cross-Border Working Groups on Tourism, Economic Development, Regeneration and Environment).
- Marketing, Communications, and Digital Media and Public Messaging Training
- Border Corridor and Functional Area Networking, alongside a Cross-Border Knowledge Exchange and institutional collaboration programme
- European Knowledge Exchange Symposium
- The production of a Consensus-Based Decision-Making Framework
The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, and Minister of State with Responsibility for Community Development and Charities, Jerry Buttimer TD, welcomed the announcement.
Minister Calleary said: “I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all who have played a role in advancing the BRIDGE project. I am truly encouraged that my Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, in collaboration with the Special EU Programmes Body and the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland, will remain committed to supporting this remarkable initiative.”
Minister Buttimer added: “PEACEPLUS is about partnership. I am delighted to support this cross-jurisdictional partnership. By offering this essential funding, the Institutional Capacity Development Programme ensures that issues related to trust and leadership are addressed. Through positive collaboration, this initiative will address long-standing structural and coordination challenges in public service delivery.”
Gina McIntyre, Chief Executive of the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), said: “Strong institutions, effective leadership and meaningful collaboration are essential to the long-term prosperity of our communities and the success of cross-border cooperation. The PEACEPLUS Programme is delighted to support the BRIDGE project, which reflects the ambitions of the Empowering Communities investment area, by investing in the people, skills and partnerships needed to create lasting positive change across the Programme Area.
The Chairman of East Border Region, Cllr PJ O’Hanlon stated “EBR are absolutely delighted to be Lead Partner on this exciting cross-border project. It will help to address governance and skill gaps within the border corridor by a combination of leadership and skills development and collaboration & institutional networking.
ICBAN Chair, Cllr. Michael Mc Bride also announced his support, saying “ICBAN is pleased to support the BRIDGE project and the important role it will play in strengthening cross-border governance and collaboration. By fostering partnership, and shared learning, particularly amongst our Local Authorities, BRIDGE will help build stronger connections and capacity across the border region.”
Any queries please contact: Niall Fretwell, Project Coordinator, East Border Region niall@eastborderregion.com. Tel; 07793824538
