Mr. Jim Deane:

It is not possible under the regulations as they are drafted at present. The allocation is per member state and that is the way the allocations are divvied up. There is an element of the cohesion policy which deals with territorial co-operation, with which Deputy Doherty will be familiar, which includes the PEACE and INTERREG programmes. In that context, one can look for eligible regions on a cross-border basis. Deputy Doherty may be aware that the EU is looking at that in the context of the INTERREG and PEACE programmes, where, for example, one could have a special area that stretches from Belfast to County Meath. Talks are going on around that process but it is complicated.

Another question is whether we could we extend the eligible area down to Meath in Ireland, for example. There are talks on that process but it is a complicated process as well. The answer to the question is that for Border, midlands and western, BMW, region purposes we cannot consider it on a cross-Border basis, but there are options with regard to territorial co-operation. Either way it is not a straightforward process.