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

Cuirim fáilte roimh na finnéithe agus gabhaim buíochas leo as ucht na cuir i láthair. This is the second session we have had with different stakeholders and academics giving their perspective on North-South enterprise.

In general, most individuals have given a view that there has been a diminution of emphasis on cross-Border development or partnership over the last number of years for a number of different reasons. There has also been a lack of measurement of the engagement and of the relationship that exists, as mentioned with regard to services in the presentations by the witnesses. That sits beside the fact that there is obviously a shocking level of poverty, economic disadvantage, unemployment and emigration both North and South within the Border region. We also see that one of the major organisations, IntertradeIreland, has had a significant cut in funds, more so than any other enterprise organisation on the island of Ireland. If one speaks to anybody, they will say that cross-Border partnership and an all-island economy are good things, and one will hear an awful lot of lip service with regard to the issue. Before I move to questions to individuals, I want to ask a general question. Is it the perspective of the witnesses that there is such lip service? Is there institutional inertia on both sides of the Border with regard to actually taking those steps necessary to build on an all-Ireland economy which everybody says could bring enormous advantages to all citizens on the island?

Mr. Paul Mac Flynn talked about Border enterprise areas and, if one likes, simply taking enterprise from one area and putting it into another. There is a current view that the Dublin section of the island is nearly overheating with regard to development, and even the NERI report in 2014 suggested that very few jobs had been created outside the Dublin region. If that is the case, displacement of some level of that economic activity to the Border region could be a good thing, to a certain extent.

Professor Stephen Roper stated that synergies and partnerships were key to both innovation and exports. Are there any examples of what could be done? For example, IntertradeIreland plays a role in those types of synergy. Given the infrastructure of both the Northern state and the Southern in terms of enterprise, what are the practical steps that could be taken to achieve that? I like the idea of having a conversation about exports from the island rather than having a narrow focus on this.

Professor Roper said that supply chains have a cross-Border aspect. Can he put some meat on the bones of what he means by supply chains and what is the reality of them? With regard to brokerage in Ireland, how would Professor Roper suggest we develop more brokerage in the landscape of Ireland?

Dr. Bradley spoke about the dichotomy between the IDA and Enterprise Ireland that is referred to in the report. Is he suggesting that there is a necessity to unify Enterprise Ireland and the IDA in the delivery of their functions? All of the enterprise agencies on the island seem to be functioning in competition with each other, which seems incongruent, given the idea of partnership and innovation. The witnesses might address those questions.