Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis na finnéithe as ucht na cuir i láthair. It is a pity we do not have more time to discuss some of these issues, but I thank the witnesses for coming here individually to give the presentations. I believe this is one of the most important issues for our committee to discuss and it is disappointing that aside from the Cathaoirleach, there are no Government Deputies here to listen to the presentations. The importance of this is immense, as has been articulated by the witnesses.

I have a number of questions. Dr. Anthony Soares spoke about the integration of the two economies and the planning involved. I am anxious to get a quantitative understanding of that. Between one and ten, how disintegrated are the planning processes currently with regard to the economies, North and South? Some of the evidence has been that there have been backward steps in respect of the all-Ireland economy. Is the policy of an all-Ireland economy being pursued in the witnesses' view?

The next question is more open and relates to the Border corridor. Are we talking about all of the Border or a specific element of it? How deep is the level of integration being discussed? Are we talking about co-operation as regards planning, development and enterprise, or are we talking about creating a space perhaps where there is different taxation, excise and other costs and engagements with the Governments on equalisation there?

On the disjointed element of the Border, Mr. Padraic White mentioned the poverty and the fact that income in the Border region is far lower. Could he say that the disjointed Border economy is a direct cause of poverty? The figures he mentioned appear to show that. Is a difficulty with finding the €1.5 million an example of a deprioritisation of that Border infrastructure? On the issue with regard to Ireland's Ancient East and the Wild Atlantic Way, where was Tourism Ireland in that process? If we do not plan in a joint fashion, the natural result is a disjointed plan. Tourism Ireland is one of the few bodies tasked with the development of an economic issue on a cross-Border basis. Should it not have a central role in those developments?

Regarding the InterTradeIreland issue, Dr. Conor Patterson spoke about the opportunities that exist. Again, would one indigenous enterprise organisation on the island of Ireland not deliver a more integrated enterprise policy, North and South?

Is a breakdown available on the development and staffing of InterTradeIreland? Has any other enterprise agency, North or South, experienced a 30% cut in its income? Why are there 64 places, 112 places and 81 places when the demand is far higher? Would the logic be, given that engagement with enterprise has a positive effect on income and jobs, that we seek to meet that demand? I was interested in Mr. Michael Burke's point of view as an economist. TTIP between Europe and the United States is a significant issue which is being discussed. The Government has been very happy to quantify the potential benefits to the Irish economy, with 5,000 jobs here and this level of growth there. Is it possible to quantify the benefits to the economy as a result of the raising of the barriers to trade created by the Border? Is it possible to seek to identify the cost of the Border to the economy as a whole and to every individual pocket in the State? Mr. Burke referred to the GDP figures. I ask him to elaborate on the GDP figures. Pound for pound, what would be the best reforms that could be initiated by the Government?