Ms Gina McIntyre:

We were not working on future programmes at the time of the referendum because as Mr. Greer alluded to, we were working on getting our current programmes up and running and all the letters of offer approved. Nothing was stalled on that work. We have already started looking to the future and emerging technologies programmes because it is led very much from the Commission's objectives and policies. We look at that and we have a great story to tell with those current programmes. Great work goes on there. There is no shortage of people wanting these programme in the future. We have examples of the types of projects we are doing. People may not have realised that the EU was funding cross-Border programmes but they are excellent.

On the comments about the unionist community, as the PEACE programme is rolling out at present, the local authority action plans are starting in their action to get mobilised. The projects will be mobilised and people will start to see the impact of the PEACE programme on the ground in the next year. There has been a dearth for the past two years, from the end of the programme to the one that is ready to go. They may see the impact of that on the ground. We have done a great deal of work in the past ten years in engaging with the unionist community to bring them into the programme and to ensure they were getting an allocation from the programme. I believe one aspect of the failure to engage was a low capacity within that community to apply for the grants but I would like to think that has been addressed during the years. We certainly have done a great deal of work on that issue. The people who came before the committee might see the impact over the next few months, which will change their attitude.

We are constantly developing new programmes. We are constantly looking at where the gaps are. As we go through these programmes, we will continue to look at revising them if there is funding to do so. We are always looking to the future and we will continue to do so. We think there is a very positive response from both the EU, the UK and Ireland on the impact of these programmes and the challenges we will face. We are very optimistic there will be future programmes . We know the Irish Government are very committed to finding a way forward.