Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

It is a question of approval for State aid. It is an EU State-aid issue. This process must be followed before the Government can invest resources. The other countries have followed this process and Ireland is in the process of doing it. Both the Department of Agriculture and Food and the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources have a plan. The power to implement it is contained in the Finance Act and it is a question of obtaining State-aid approval. Other countries have been given approval but the Government cannot proceed without that approval. Otherwise I would be answering questions in this House on the reasons Ireland was before the European Court of Justice for its failure to follow procedure, which is an issue that is raised regularly. The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources has already stated that the Government is committed to the implementation of the plan in this area.

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