Mr. Chris Hazzard:

The Department for Infrastructure is a new Department bringing together three previous ones. The relationship at official level has been very good. The level of European funding in recent years has been close to €100 million for a wide variety of projects. When we think of infrastructure, we often think of roads, but vital funding has been provided for water projects and such funding is crucial for the future. We must remember that it is not only the hurdles that are placed in front of us immediately but the future opportunities that will be lost that are most depressing. We need seriously to examine that. I was recently in China and when we invest it is important to note the need for regional balance, which is an issue across Ireland. We do not want to leave communities in the north west and the west behind. That is a deficit I am trying to address. In the North and right across this State, we need increased investment in regionally balanced items of infrastructure. The European Union looks set to be a key deliverer of some of those. That would be a pressing development for the future.