Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

My amendment No. 30 seeks to insert the following wording in page 47, between lines 9 and 10: “(i) to co-ordinate cross-Border work tackling social exclusion, including long term unemployment and seeking support for cross-Border, cross-community initiatives.”.

The Minister will be aware that much good work has been done by the Border corridor groups. Partnerships have been formed by councils on either side of the Border from Dundalk to Letterkenny. Good work has been done there by representatives of all parties North and South. Some people from the North who were somewhat reluctant to buy into the partnerships at the start are now fairly well embedded in them.

The Border region suffers from a lot of disadvantages, as the socio-economic indicators show. I think this is a reasonable amendment, so I am asking the Minister to consider allowing it in the spirit of the Bill.

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