Policy objective or JTF specific objective
Specific objective or dedicated priority *
Justification (Summary)
SMEs, strengthen innovation performance, prioritise smart specialisation areas, support clusters, and address regional differences in the research and development intensity. CR2020 acknowledges some progress with more to do. The independent Needs Analysis for ERDF and ESF+ in Ireland 2020 identified the need for investments to address the scale of regional disparities, measures to support an increase in R&D expenditure, supports to increase collaboration between industry and the higher education sector and measures to promote Smart Regions. The RSES for the Southern Region sets out an economic vision for the region based on “five economic principles of smart specialisation, clustering, placemaking for enterprise development, knowledge diffusion, and capacity building”. The RSES for the Eastern and Midland Region’s preferred economic strategy promotes “smart specialisation strategies based on identified strengths and competitive advantages, combined with cluster policies that promote economies of scale and network effects in certain locations”. RSO1.3 will address the recommendations of the Country Reports, the independent Needs Analysis, the RSES policy objectives and the S3 high level strategic goals. CR2020 identifies scope for improvement in reducing greenhouse emissions, energy efficiency and poverty reduction. The independent Needs Analysis for ERDF & ESF+ in Ireland (2020) identified the potential investment to enhance the energy efficiency of building stock. The scale of the investment required to meet climate action ambitions in the programme area is significant and CAP21 estimates that Ireland will require investments in buildings of €35 billion to assist in meeting our transition to Net Zero and climate neutrality by 2050. This investment will need to be met from many sources but given the limited resources available under the Programme and to create the greatest impact our decision is to focus these limited resources on one specific objective - promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (RSO2.1). The overarching need to improve the energy efficiency of the Southern Region’s residential sector is evident from the low levels of audited households to register a Building Energy Rating (BER) between “A” and “B”. Between 2009 and 2020, only 19 per cent of audited households in Ireland registered a BER between “A” and “B”, with the corresponding ratios for households based in the Southern Region – particularly in the Mid-West and South-East – notably low and in most cases below the State average. Under the NRRP, the Government is working with the SBCI and the European Investment Bank to develop a retrofit loan guarantee scheme and associated low-cost residential retrofit loans to make energy efficiency
2. A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility
RSO2.1. Promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions
EN
EN
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