The European Commission yesterday gave its formal approval to a new seven-year aid package for Northern Ireland. The Community Support Framework has two elements.
The first is Northern Ireland's 425 million euro share of the programme for peace and reconciliation for Northern Ireland and the Border counties of Ireland, from 2000-2004.
The second is the structural funds programme, now in transitional form, since Northern Ireland no longer qualifies for Objective 1 status, which amounts to 890.5 million euros (£700.8 million).