Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is okay. It is nice to see Ms O'Donoghue and Mr. Duffy again. I thank the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity. The Cathaoirleach has made good points about how we can improve communication and work closely with the shared island unit as a committee.

It is great to see the revised NDP and to hear about the €3.5 billion that we can be spending. We are coming across organisations that have opportunities for economic development, particularly in areas of deprivation or lack of opportunity. If we can come to the shared island unit with such organisations to support them in securing funds, is that something the unit would be willing to work with us on, based on our principles of cross-Border co-operation and closer economic and social links?

I too was in Derry last week. I had not been on the A5 in the last couple of years because of Covid and the horror of it was brought back to me. There has been a commitment on the A5. How does it work as regards driving these projects forward and taking the next step? I believe there are delays on the Department for Infrastructure side. How do we work to overcome those delays? While we align with the Executive, I imagine we are going to face some problems along the way. How do we make sure we are aligning on projects? How does that work? The all-Ireland research centres that were mentioned are incredibly positive. Those are also going to require matched funding. How do we drive these things forward? As a committee, how do we all work together to push these vital projects through? Skills and infrastructure were mentioned as well. That is essential, not only in the north west but in other areas and along the Border, from an all-island perspective.

The NDP recognises the importance of cross-Border working and supporting regional development in all the cross-Border regions. It states:

Cross-border local authority regional development initiatives have built track records and developed strategic frameworks for cooperation, reflecting an increased capacity and level of ambition for the years ahead.

[...]

The Government will continue to support fully the work of cross-border local authority partnerships and pursue opportunities for collaborative investment.

The North West Strategic Growth Partnership, NWSGP, is doing great work between Donegal and Derry. I would like to see the same prominence and support given to the Irish Central Border Area Network, ICBAN. It is doing fantastic work. It is made up of eight local authorities working together but their funding is hand-to-mouth. It needs to be supported on a more consistent basis. It can play a pivotal role in the development of the Border area. We have seen the Dublin to Belfast economic corridor. The work of ICBAN can contribute very much to the Border areas. I would like to see it get the same security of funding and prominence of being involved in projects as the NWSGP. We can see what that has done with the technological university and there is just as much potential in the central Border area.

I will comment on the areas of research. I do not know if these are new or maybe I just did not notice them the last time. On the teacher research the witnesses are doing, will the Standing Conference on Teacher Education, North and South, SCoTENS, also address the differences between teachers North and South? It is still incredible that people can go through teacher training in the North and yet not be recognised as qualified in the South because they do not have Irish. My mum was one of those fantastic teachers who was not seen as qualified and there are others. Professor Deirdre Heenan is leading on the healthcare research. That is fantastic and it is great to see. I thank the witnesses for all the work they are doing.