Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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We are also involved in the European Commission's Atlantic strategy, which was launched by Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn and the Taoiseach. This strategy relates to evaluating the Atlantic's potential in the context of renewable energy and would involve countries collaborating with each other.

I take the point that has been made. There are knowledge and innovation communities and various themes that have been negotiated through Horizon 2020, in particular one in which we had a specific interest that related to food and that will be rolled out soon. Countries will have to collaborate with each other along those themes anyway. In respect of Horizon 2020, those research centres will be rolled out with the idea of leveraging greater funding from the EU because of their size. By creating those economies of scale and forcing more academic institutions to collaborate with each other along thematic lines, large entities are being created that will be able to leverage opportunities from Horizon 2020 from an €80 billion fund along those themes to which the Deputy referred. In view of the two jurisdictions, we are working very closely with Northern Ireland and InterTrade Ireland to enable those concerned pitch for that kind of funding as well. There are opportunities there. I would like to know to whom the Deputy spoke.