Professor John FitzGerald:

The road to Derry is the road to Donegal so there is a benefit for Ireland. I would be very nervous about us relieving the UK of its responsibilities. While Northern Ireland is part of the UK, it is up to the UK to provide for services in Northern Ireland. For the Republic of Ireland to start using money to provide services would just invite the UK Government to pull back and think "Ah, the Republic will pay for it". There needs to be a very clear benefit to the people of the Republic of Ireland if they are going to spend the money. The road to Donegal is clearly of strategic interest to the Republic of Ireland. Regarding education in the north west, Derry should be the centre of Donegal. You can see that Donegal is disadvantaged within the Republic. The only way of dealing with that is Derry so there is a strategic interest for the people of the Republic-----