Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Obviously, there is the Border, so North and South operate in two different jurisdictions with different Parliaments to which they are answerable. This clearly is a reality and what the Government has built is cross-Border institutional collaboration which it has turned into the channels it considers are best for driving real change. Consequently, there is significant collaboration on the research area, innovation, exporting and cross-Border placement of people from colleges to build those connections. This is highly practical. Yes, in recent years there have been efficiency economies expected of InterTradeIreland, and that has been true of most State agencies. This year, as members are aware, there is a particular problem with budgeting in the North. While a number of parties are involved, the consequence has been a deeper cut than the one that was agreed originally between the Departments of Finance of the two jurisdictions. A deeper cut is being made there, and while we are managing to live within it thus far, that is a particular budgetary fallout that has occurred as a result of the discussions going on in the North on their budgets at present.

However, there is a tangible record of success in this regard. One might state this is something on which one can build more quickly, and one hopes this will be the case. The Government is trying to build a stronger regional strategy and to put in place institutions that can be more collaborative. The local enterprise offices are in a position with their partnership or, if one likes, their parentage within the local authority, albeit under a service level agreement with the Department, whereby it is possible to promote collaboration as it delivers success. However, I would not be doing my job unless I set targets of delivery, and in any competition for resources the Department will be running, it will wish to see an impact. Consequently, just because there is collaboration between individuals does not mean it will get them an automatic buy. The Government will wish to ascertain that such collaboration is producing something genuine in terms of output. As this is the approach the Department takes, when people are competing for funds, it must be about the impact on the things that matter to people, such as whether they can promote more trade, more innovation, more start-up hubs and, ultimately, more jobs. I have been very impressed with some of the legacy. I visited The Hive in County Leitrim, as I am sure has the Deputy, and it is a very exciting and good operation. The investment in science parks in Letterkenny and Derry has significant potential.

We are funding a great deal of research collaboration, particularly through SFI, in the context of Horizon 2020, which has €80 billion in funding resources. We are attempting to corral such collaboration, North and South, to try to win more of the resources available under Horizon 2020. We are working in a very practical way to try to maximise what we can achieve, both through the institutions and by means of the opportunities that exist.

Institutional development is a bigger political issue and the Deputy must recognise that negotiations relating to it need to be carried out in a particular way. We are promoting the tools that can be used to generate more practical collaboration. If there are new ideas that we might test, we would be very keen to do so. To be fair, some of the collaboration that has already taken place here has gained recognition internationally as constituting best practice in the context of cross-Border collaboration between two jurisdictions. What we are doing is recognised internationally as being very innovative. I accept that more can be done and it is hoped we will develop our activities further. However, the Deputy should not pretend this is not a successful model. It is recognised internationally as being such a model, but I accept we can do more. We will be very keen to try to protect the resources available to InterTradeIreland, and obviously that is a-----