Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

I ask the Minister of State to put a timeframe on this. Does he expect to complete interdepartmental negotiations and have the programme approved by the end of June or July? I can give an example of a company in County Waterford which is ready to double its workforce in this sector provided it receives the grant aid for which it has been approved but cannot be paid because of the Department's failure to get sanction from Brussels. Two years into the work, we are led to believe an interdepartmental group has been convened. What is the timeframe for resolving the issues so that investment can proceed?

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