Mr. Ian Brannigan:

In respect of EU funds, broadly, the commission is happy that it has enhanced capability to offer EU funds such as INTERREG in the region and we do that to the tune of millions of euro. This funding helps the region. We work with Údarás na Gaeltachta, National University of Ireland, Galway, the private sector and others in this regard. This process is going well and this capacity is needed because it is like risk funding for ideas and concepts for development that people may not get easily elsewhere.

The TEN-T project is a completely different EU project. I fully accept the Senator's point on that. We have to look further into how we will be centrally involved in the project because we fully buy into the idea that we need to be on the core not the comprehensive network of the TEN-T, which is important for infrastructural growth in the country and the region. While we are doing great stuff in the EU and have worked previously on TEN-T, there is scope to consider it again and see what we can do to influence it. Ultimately, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Government will have the most influence on that.