John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes, I know it well. I also am well aware of the INTERREG funding and it has been very effective in regenerating cross-Border communities. There is also the 2020 EU funding coming to the area. The Government will strongly support that.

The EIF, the representatives of which I met in the past two weeks, is considering developing a fund that would support cross-Border enterprise. There are opportunities. Mr. Hunter McGowan of InterTradeIreland is doing a fantastic job. I met the board of directors and the relevant companies. Most important, I met the businesspeople and the staff who are employed.

The 3,500 companies should be asked what is different now compared with the past. The Government is creating the environment to support jobs and talking to the relevant agencies. Enterprise Ireland does a fantastic job, as does Invest Northern Ireland. INTERREG personnel are working actively on the ground. The bodies are working in partnership with businesspeople and communities. The Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, has been having cross-Border meetings with the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in the North, Ms Foster, whom I met at a major launch a number of months ago. She is very much focused on the development of the body which is one of the most successful delivering on an all-island mandate to create and retain jobs and explore the potential for export on the part of high-potential start-up companies, which is very important. It is a question of exploring on a cross-Border basis the possibility of exporting to Europe and farther afield.

I suggest the Deputy read the Horizon 2020 document. The Government will be pursuing that agenda which will clearly benefit companies in the North and the South.

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