Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is probably aware of this but I am unsure whether the officials are aware of it. On 10 January this year at the European Council a transport amendment was put to include more parts of Ireland in trans-European transport network or TEN-T funding. The amendment came from the European Commission and set out Brexit mitigation proposals relating to the Atlantic corridor. It includes the ports of Shannon Foynes, which was always included, as well as Dublin, Rosslare, Waterford and Cork. They link to Brest, Roscoff, Cherbourg and four or five more places in France and other countries.

I presume the Minister will be in Brussels later. The amendment did not go to a vote, which was unusual. It was fully agreed and is not going to a vote of MEPs. The Minister will be in Brussels for the trilogue – if that is the correct term – in the coming weeks with the European Commission. Can the Minister make a commitment on this? As has been pointed out by all Deputies, the likes of Donegal and the west of Ireland have been badly affected. I presume the Minister is accepting the amendment to include Rosslare, Waterford and the other areas. This comes under the same plan proposed in 2012 for the Atlantic corridor or the western arc. Can the Minister confirm whether that is the case? When the Minister goes to Brussels to discuss that amendment will he give an undertaking to include the rest of the west of Ireland? This is something that has been committed to in the programme for Government. My understanding is that in recent weeks the Minister received an email or letter from the Atlantic economic corridor task force to get the area included in the TEN-T maps. Will the Minister comment on that and confirm that the area will be included?

We have to remember that this is relevant for Donegal, Monaghan, Sligo and other areas along the periphery of the Border. Louth is included because it comes between Newry and Dublin. If there is a hard Brexit, those areas will be hit ferociously. Will all these areas be included, as in 2012 and as per the programme for Government commitment of some years ago?