Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Last week I asked the Minister of State if the Government would pursue the right to an opt-out of State aid provisions at the upcoming IGC. What point has been reached? The Minister of State said: "In general we do not like such clauses for the simple reason that it makes the process extraordinarily cumbersome. It is far better to be part of the mainstream and to negotiate positions." Will the Minister of State ensure that such an opt-out is part of the mainstream and that other countries will also benefit from an opt-out or the section will be taken out altogether? I refer to the opt-out on State aid provisions, which are overly restrictive and make it impossible for member states to use redistributive tools, such as targeted State funding, to full effect in order to achieve objectives.

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