Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Detailed discussions and ongoing engagement have taken place between officials in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland. I cannot speak on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, who has responsibility for this area but I am sure he has discussed it with his counterparts as well. Ultimately, Deputy Carthy would like to see this done on an all-island basis. That would be the cleanest way to answer his points and it may happen in time, but for now we will work with the situation we have, in close co-operation and with the safeguards that have been outlined by Ms Byrne. Obviously, it is a different jurisdiction and we cannot force them to participate, but detailed discussions have taken place and I believe they will be open to it in time.