Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On Mr. McDowell's comment on Brexit - and the British Government's role in and part ownership of the EIB will still have to be worked out - his view that the EIB will do less lending in the UK is natural, although it lends outside the European Union. Can he address concerns about the EIB's involvement in the North of Ireland? As we know, the population in the North voted to stay within the European Union. There is concern that access to funding such as from the EIB will further damage the economy, and it is an economy that is isolated and could possibly have border controls and so on. Has there been a discussion at EIB level about recognising the special status of the North, the peace process and so on? Is there a willingness to continue to engage in financing programmes and, indeed, to ramp up focus on the North of Ireland in the context of infrastructure projects and other investment in potential projects?