Mr. Ivan Cooper:

It occurred to me, given where we are, to encourage the members of the committee to brief themselves and have themselves briefed on the current situation and the future thinking with regard to the Northern Irish PEACE programme and the INTERREG VA programme between the Republic, Northern Ireland and Scotland. It is a very significant European funding programme in respect of supporting communities and services in the context of the Border communities, Ireland as a whole and Northern Ireland specifically. While there have been positive signals emanating from the UK Government and the Irish Government, it would be important for this committee in particular, given its European brief, to use its good offices to the greatest extent possible to get clarity on future thinking in regard to those programmes and where it might be going.