Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The introduction of wind energy is having a direct effect on price and creating a more competitive market. The development by EirGrid of east-west infrastructure in recent years has also contributed to the energy mix and introduced more competition.

While final agreement has not yet been reached on the new INTERREG programme, it appears there will be a pillar focused directly on sustainable transport. This issue will affect the Deputy's constituency. Perhaps we need to have a conversation at this juncture about how the Department and Government can proactively feed into the INTERREG funding that will come on stream in 2015. The Deputy and I come from the same neck of the woods and our constituencies do not have access to sophisticated transport infrastructure. As we both come from the Border area, we will be in a position to target INTERREG funding under the sustainable transport pillar in the year ahead.

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