Mr. Padraic White:

On the Border development corridor, the approach is ad hocat the moment. I chair an ad hocgroup of people from North and South who are interested. It relates to the counties immediately adjoining the Border area and, therefore, it is narrower than an all-island economy. The Southern side is made up of Donegal, Sligo, Cavan, Leitrim, Monaghan and Louth. Within that we identified at least seven strategic areas where there is a common interest which should override jurisdictional and other issues. This has been endorsed in any discussion we have had with the cross-Border networks. There is a strong willingness to work on that.

Deputy Tóibín asked about income figures and whether there is a direct correlation with the disjointed nature of the Border. Many aspects come together in this regard. For example, there is a weak economic structure, a weak urban structure, a weak communication network and the resultant peripheral aspect in both jurisdictions. The most recent figures confirm absolutely in my view that the trend is negative and that it is a symptom of the failure to develop the economies in an optimum way on each side of the Border. That brings me to the Deputy's final point about tourism. Fáilte Ireland developed the projects of Ancient Ireland and the Wild Atlantic Way. The mandate of Fáilte Ireland stops at the Border. Tourism Ireland promotes the whole island but basically, in so far as I can make out, never the twain shall meet. Fáilte Ireland is constrained by the fact that its political mandate stops at the Border, even though on the ground, for example, in Newry, Mourne and Down, and Louth, there is a major commitment to develop the whole Newry, Mourne, Carlingford, Cooley peninsula. The Narrow Water bridge was a symbol of that commitment and the local commitment but that is almost in spite of the official system.