Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have a genuine interest in the development and stimulation of both economies, and that is why I am glad the Sinn Féin Party supports the opportunity for people to vote to stay as a member of the European Union. Deputy Adams is aware there is €3 billion on the table for peace and reconciliation and cross-Border activities for communities, etc.

No date has yet been fixed for the next meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council. The Minister, Deputy Flanagan, is going there in the next two weeks and I expect the date will be announced then. That meeting will be hosted in Dublin, as the Deputy knows. In regard to the infrastructure commitments under the Fresh Start agreement, the Irish Government reaffirmed in this agreement its existing commitment to providing£50 million for the A5 western transport corridor serving the north west. A further £25 million was committed to ensure that phase one of the project can commence as soon as the necessary planning issues have been resolved by the Northern Ireland authorities. The Government will provide this money in three tranches of £25 million in 2017, 2018 and 2019. The Government and the Northern Ireland Executive have agreed that construction on the first section of the A5 will commence in 2017, with a view to completion in 2019. The first section will be the route between Newbuildings outside Derry to north of Strabane.

In respect of the Narrow Water bridge, the Government and the Northern Ireland Executive agreed to undertake a review of the project, with a view to identifying options for its future development for consideration by the North-South Ministerial Council at its next meeting. Initial discussions by a group of officials, North and South, took place in December. Further meetings have taken place. A report will be provided to the next meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council. In addition, officials from North and South met with people in Newry in April with a view to feeding local proposals into the review of the project. I assure Deputy Adams that the Government remains committed to the concept of the Narrow Water bridge, which has the potential to create jobs on either side, but also to provide a real stimulus to both economies in terms of tourism and the opportunities that exist in that respect.

In respect of the Ulster Canal, the Government and the Northern Ireland Executive agreed to undertake a review with a view to looking at how this might progress. It is to be considered, again, by the North-South Ministerial Council at its meeting in Dublin. The Government will continue to explore the development of further cross-Border greenways and blueways, leisure routes, including the Ulster Canal as it is a matter of considerable interest to us.

Regarding the north-west gateway, the Government provided €2.5 million to support this initiative, which will be complemented by matching funding from the Executive in the North. A report on the north-west gateway will also be provided at the next meeting.

Deputy Barry raised the question of the tenor of the debate. At the debate of the British-Irish Council in Glasgow, people from Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man were very concerned that the British electorate would vote to leave the European Union, because this would create real difficulties for them as small economic entities and islands. The debate in general was derailed in respect of the issues that were really at stake. All 27 members of the European Council, apart from Britain, agreed on a number of issues to deal with the question of in-work benefits, which was and is an issue for people in Britain in respect of immigrants. For years and years, Irish people who went to Britain began to work, paid their stamp and got their contribution. It was clocked up for them in Newcastle and when people reached pension age or came back to Ireland before then, they were able to avail of that element of contribution, added to what they had from Ireland, to draw a pension or a proportion of the pension under a bilateral agreement. However, in lower-paid jobs, immigrants were entitled to extra benefits from day one, which was a cause for concern among British people. It was conceded by the European Council that this matter could be tapered over a period of four years. Another question related to child benefit being paid at higher British rates than applied in many of the former eastern bloc countries, where children were not living in Britain but were living in their home country. This issue was also raised in this House on many occasions.

On the question of ever-closer union, I agree. I might not agree with everything that Deputy Barry and I have to talk about, but the debate in Britain was derailed. It became very personal, very vindictive and very inter-party. The debate should have focused on issues about the kind of Europe we want, who should constitute that, the potential of a market of 500 million and the potential for political decisions to be followed through to the benefit of the peoples of the 28 countries. I hope when people vote on Thursday that the decision will be to stay. I have seen a strong element of finger-pointing in some social media and in some of the print and spoken media. Until the people actually vote, their decision is not counted. I hope that by 5 a.m. we will have a pretty clear statement as to what they have decided on Thursday, 23 June.

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