New PEACEPLUS programme: Communities urged to have their say on funding priorities for 2028–2034
Wednesday 11 November 2026
Communities, charities, businesses and individuals across Northern Ireland are being invited to help decide what a future major peacebuilding and investment programme should prioritise, as a public consultation opens on the next phase of PEACEPLUS funding.
The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is seeking views on the challenges facing local communities and where future investment could make the greatest difference between 2028 and 2034.
The consultation offers people across Ballymena, Mid and East Antrim and the wider region an opportunity to influence the priorities of a programme supporting cross-community relationships, cooperation and economic and social development.
A chance to influence future investment
The current PEACEPLUS programme is worth €1.14 billion, although the budget for its successor has not yet been confirmed.
Rather than announcing new funding allocations, SEUPB is asking communities to identify the issues they believe deserve attention in the next programme.
Responses will help inform proposals that SEUPB intends to submit to the European Commission. The consultation does not itself determine which projects will receive funding.
The invitation is open to community and voluntary organisations, businesses, councils, public bodies and individual members of the public across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
Thirty years of peacebuilding investment
Since 1995, successive PEACE and INTERREG programmes have supported initiatives bringing people and organisations together across community divisions and the Irish border.
According to SEUPB, approximately €3.39 billion has been invested in more than 23,000 projects over that period, with the programmes touching more than 2.2 million lives.
The existing PEACEPLUS programme is jointly funded by the European Union, the UK Government, the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive.
Its successor is intended to build on that work, but the consultation provides an opportunity to consider whether priorities should change to reflect the pressures and opportunities facing communities today.
Communities encouraged to speak openly
SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre said local experience would be central to developing the next programme.
“For 30 years, these programmes have brought people together in ways that once seemed impossible. Their lasting impact is rooted in communities - in the people and organisations who have chosen to work together, often across divisions and across the border.
“We have made significant progress, but the work of building a more peaceful, inclusive, resilient, and prosperous society continues. We want to hear directly from people about what is working, where the pressures are and what the next programme should prioritise. Their experience, insight and hopes for the future will be central to shaping the next stage of our peacebuilding journey.”
Her comments underline the importance of hearing directly from those experiencing local challenges, rather than relying solely on the priorities identified by public institutions and funding organisations.
How to have your say
The online consultation is open until Monday 21 December 2026 at 5pm.
People wishing to contribute can find information about the proposed programme, access the consultation and watch an explanatory video through SEUPB's dedicated webpage.
• Consultation deadline: Monday 21 December 2026, 5pm
• Who can respond: Individuals, community groups, voluntary organisations, businesses, councils and public bodies
• Programme period: 2028–2034
• Information and consultation access: www.seupb.eu/new-peaceplus-programme
SEUPB is also organising in-person engagement events across Northern Ireland and the border counties in early 2027, after the online consultation has closed.
Details of those events and registration arrangements are available through the same website.
An opportunity for local voices to be heard
For communities across Mid and East Antrim, the consultation represents an opportunity to highlight local needs before the priorities of the next PEACEPLUS programme are finalised.
While the eventual funding available and the projects it will support remain undecided, the views gathered now will help shape the programme submitted for European Commission consideration.
With the online deadline approaching, individuals and organisations who want their experiences and priorities considered have until 21 December to contribute, while further opportunities to engage in person are planned for early next year.
