Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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65. To ask the Taoiseach his views on the status and future role of cross-Border bodies, specifically the East Border Region Committee and the Irish Central Border Area Network, following the British decision to withdraw from the European Union. [19437/16]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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We had a very useful discussion at the NSMC Plenary on North South cooperation, including the role of the NSMC and North South bodies. The East Border Region Committee and the Irish Central Border Area Network are local authority led cross border bodies responsible for cross border cooperation and have been effective in assisting the delivery of various projects funded by EU programmes, particularly through the PEACE and INTERREG programmes.

At the NSMC, we re-iterated the joint commitment of the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to the successful implementation of the PEACE and INTERREG programmes, and agreed that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Northern Ireland Finance Minister will consider the issue of securing the ERDF funding for PEACE and INTERREG, including through engagement with the European Commission.