Children with autism, the socially excluded, and the maritime museum archives will all benefit from a series of projects announced by EU Funds Parliamentary Secretary Aaron Farrugia on Tuesday.

The EEA and Norwegian Grants scheme will see Malta benefit from some €8 million to be used in a series of projects over the next few years.

The projects, which are expected to be completed by 2022, mainly focus on children, youth at risk and vulnerable groups in urban areas.

Dr Farrugia said the funds would be split into four main projects. The first was focused on reducing social inequalities in health services and the burden of disease. The €2 million project will help close the gap in the provision of health services for children with Autism and other genetic conditions, screening of newborns for Phenylketonuria – a condition that can lead to cognitive disability, and the purchase of equipment to test the blood donation system.

The second project, entitled “Opportunity knocks”, will provide vulnerable youths at high risk of social exclusion with a new integrated educational programme, as well as fund the development of a residential shelter.

The Department of Local Government will dish out around €1 million to local councils across the island, in funding of between €25,000 and €100,000, for projects aimed at reducing poverty in their localities.

A fourth and final project will see the Malta Maritime Museum in Vittoriosa digitize about 2,600 artefacts, in a €2 million project that will take the entire museum collection online.

The funds, which amount to around €3 million more than the amount allocated for the previous funding period, were announced during an agreement signing ceremony between the Malta National Focal Point and the Norwegian Ambassador for Malta.