Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Member states are obliged to notify for approval all projects which exceed the threshold provided for in the multisectoral framework for large investment projects. The aid in this case exceeded the threshold and accordingly had to be notified to the European Commission, and discussions are ongoing.

The amount of Government funding already committed to the project is a confidential matter between the Government and the company involved. It would be wholly wrong of me to breach this trust. Construction of the plant has already commenced.

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