Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputies and the Senator for their questions.

I will begin with the question from Deputy Breathnach. There is no vacuum. We have an agreement in place now to see the honouring of the programmes up to 2020. I will outline some of the detail for INTERREG. A total of 24 letters of offer have issued to projects. A total of 16 letters of offer for the PEACE programme have issued. We are in the process of finalising letters and agreements with projects in respect of funding. We gave a commitment to do everything possible to maintain the stability of these projects up to 2020. Had we not done that, then one could contend that such a vacuum exists. However, it does not because the agreement is in place up to 2020. The agreement is in place for a reason. Deputy Breathnach outlined the importance of the projects and the Government and I agree with him in this regard. Now, we need to move to looking at what can replace these programmes. The programmes matter and they have made a difference economically, socially and politically.

I was asked a direct question on whether this is in the interests of the European Union. I contend that it is. The EU is, first and foremost, a peace process - this point was alluded to already. Given its political provenance, there must be an opportunity for us to negotiate something to further support the peace process on our island. We will play our leading role to ensure that happens.

Deputy Sherlock asked what I meant by Brexit-proofing. In the letters of offer that we have issued to the projects, we have agreed text in respect of a safeguard clause. It has been agreed that letters of offer will include a safeguard clause whereby if, as a consequence of the UK leaving the EU, the UK element of the European Regional Development Fund is no longer available, the letters will be covered by the UK Treasury financial commitment in respect of EU funding programmes, even when specific projects continue beyond the UK departure from the EU.