Ms Elisha McCallion:

It is great to see the committee members today. We had a presentation from the partnership a number of months ago in the region but it is great for them to be here in Dublin to make a presentation.

As the members know, I am a major advocate of the work of the partnership. I am extremely supportive and very proud to be somewhat associated with the work that has been carried out to date with the partnership. Everyone spoke of the uniqueness of the co-operation and collaboration and it is true. It is fair to say there is nothing of its like elsewhere. There have been various attempts at cross-Border initiatives over the past number of years but I have no doubt that what is happening in the north west is unique. All our Border constituencies should be looking at this as a potential model for future development.

With the next steps outlined in the presentation, there are a number of requests. It is important as a committee that we go through them and perhaps make some suggestions. With regard to the continued partnership funding, a question was posed to An Taoiseach by our party leader a number of weeks ago about the commitment from the Irish Government for financial assistance. I am glad to say An Taoiseach spoke very favourably on it but as a committee perhaps we could seek clarity on the current status of that assistance to ensure there is no confusion coming to the final stage of the current budget.

With respect to potential territorial co-operation, in Brussels a few weeks ago I met the vice chairman of the European Committee on Regional Development, Mr. Joachim Zeller, MEP, to speak about the uniqueness of the cross-Border areas. The Irish Government is in conversation with the European Commission on potential post-Brexit funding. My understanding to date is that it will not come into the Northern constituencies, although this is entirely inappropriate. There needs to be a conversation with the Irish Government about a plea that any post-Brexit funding should come into the Six Counties of the North and a particular focus of that funding should be on the Border constituencies. It has already been referenced here and there is absolutely no doubt as report after report indicates that the Border constituencies will be the worst affected areas in a good, bad or any type of Brexit. I saw a report very recently indicating that the constituency I represent is at the bottom of two leagues and is 650th from the Westminster constituencies with respect to the cost of food and living standards in any potential Brexit. That is not even unique to the north west and as members can imagine, all the Border constituencies will have problems. There must be conversations involving the Irish Government on the post-Brexit territorial funding that could potentially come from Europe.

With regard to inward investment and economic development, Sinn Féin regularly meets officials and the Government in the South, as well as the British Government and officials in the Northern Ireland Civil Service, NICS, to ensure there is collaborative funding. There is no point in funding the north-west region solely from either a Westminster perspective or the Northern Executive end and forgetting about the Irish Government. It is fair to say the Irish Government has again spoken very favourably, standing up to the mark and potentially putting in additional funding at a stage when it thinks it might be appropriate. I am a little concerned as to when that will be and who will make that request. I am familiar with the letter that has gone from the partnership to the Government here in the South on potential funding. As a committee, we could perhaps flesh that out a bit and see where the conversations are with the Departments down here. It may be particularly useful if a request is sent from this committee to the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Joe McHugh, about the cross-Border education initiatives we are discussing. I know there is the potential for investment into the university in the city region but again I am not sure how far those conversations have developed. They need to move on from where they are currently.

Everybody has spoken about the A5 and of course we are all supportive of that project. My party colleague was before this committee last month and An Tánaiste, Deputy Coveney, was here to discuss the absolute necessity for the completion of the A5. I giggled to myself yesterday as I was quite excited to see a notification in the Derry Journalabout the A5. I thought it was extremely sad for me to be excited about an environment impact process but all the same there is movement on the A5, so we must ensure that it does not stop in the way that it has in the past. Again, we have heard a commitment from the Irish Government at various levels that the funding will be available but we need to ensure the department in the North moves on this as quickly as possible. I have some faith that it is moving in the right direction. It is a flagship project and I take Deputy Brendan Smith's point on the need for projects such as the A5 to be ring-fenced in some way because of the changes in the Government. In the North, we deemed it a flagship project, so regardless of the Minister, the Government must ensure it continues. Perhaps that could be considered from this end.

I congratulate everybody on the work they have undertaken. I suggest a follow-up from the delegation's end from the vice chairperson of the regional development committee. Perhaps there could be a reflection on the conversations with respect to bringing the potential post-Brexit funding into the north west and all the Border constituencies. I congratulate the witnesses on the large volume of work they have all undertaken. I have no doubt, Brexit or no Brexit, that this relationship will continue to flourish as it must do. We have no choice. We are on the periphery and work undertaken to date can only grow in the years and months ahead. We will do anything that we as a committee or our parties can do to help.