An Irish perspective on the Structural Funds

Abstract

The EU structural funds played a minor, though important, role in the rapid convergence of Irish living standards to the EU level in the 1990s. As well as their direct impact, the funds had a beneficial effect on public administration, particularly in encouraging evaluation of results. Part of the reason for the Irish success story was the priority given to investment in human capital and physical infrastructure. For the future, the principle of additionality of national expenditure should be reconsidered and some changes in the administration of the transfers could be beneficial.