Mr. Albert Doherty:

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Chathaoirleach agus leis na Seanadóirí. Cuireann sé áthas mór orm bheith anseo. Is as Inis Eoghain i nDún na nGall mé. Mar bhall de Chomhairle Contae Dhún na nGall agus mar chathaoirleach an North West Regional Development Group, tá an-athas orm bheith anseo agus cúpla rud a rá don choiste. I am chairman of the North West Regional Development Group. The group is a seamless attempt by those in Donegal, Strabane and Derry to put forward the north west as a region. Like our fellow representatives here, we are from a Border region. I acknowledge and thank Seanadóirí for seeing and acknowledging the momentum, energy and cohesion of our group as we face this uncertainly. It is clear that we have uncertainty. The best those in Brussels, Dublin and Stormont know at the moment is uncertainty.

A question was posed about how to help and we were asked to come with ideas or thoughts. There is an incoming budget and capital spending review plan. Committee members can show us their first response by acknowledging the deficits that may occur because of Brexit, as well as the deficits that have occurred down through the years because of peripherality. This can be done by putting infrastructure spending into our area and into the Border region area. That is a challenge regardless of whether it relates to infrastructure for our roads or to safeguard our fishing and our ports. These are the questions we have for the committee members as we come here with momentum.

I come from Carndonagh on the Inishowen Peninsula. It is the opposite Border region to that of my colleagues in Newry and Mourne. To put Brexit in perspective, I am keen to focus on the Inishowen Peninsula. If one takes the west of the Inishowen Peninsula as being the front door of my house, I look out into the calm waters of Lough Swilly. I see the fishermen at work and the ferry at play. I see the tourism potential of Dunree and Fanad. Most of my work is done out the back. When I look out my back door, I can see Lough Foyle. Who owns it? Who claims it?

What is going to happen to the fishermen there who work out of Greencastle Harbour? What about the tourism potential of developing Foyle Port? Why can we not have natural support for ferry services? My colleague will refer to Carlingford and deal with the Loughs Agency. Some people are still not claiming jurisdiction over the Foyle, while others very far away are. Greencastle Harbour possibly presents a problem for fishermen, but it is part of an initiative. As I said about the capital review plan, the development of ports can be an answer to issues raised by Brexit.

It is wonderful to have this opportunity and I hope we will have another one, but there is so much potential. Our area is at the beginning of the Wild Atlantic Way. People are directed to County Kerry and the south from our airports and visitor areas, but we would also like to see them travel along the Causeway coastline. We would like to market the region and have the momentum, cohesion and energy to do so. If we had the infrastructure and were to receive support from Dublin, that would show that today was a day well spent.