Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. As the Minister is aware, uncertainty will kill off the best interests of the people involved in these programmes. They work on a voluntary basis to better their local communities. In many instances, they create local employment to provide better services and better facilities for, in the main, disadvantaged communities on both sides of the Border. It is essential that the Ministers, Deputies Donohoe and Noonan, make direct contact with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Hammond, MP, regarding this issue. The Taoiseach needs to continue to pursue it with the British Government and the President of the European Commission. This is relatively small money in the scheme of things when one considers the expenditure incurred by the European Commission, but it is hugely important for areas that need investment which have been so adversely affected by trouble over the years. We have made progress on this island and much progress is still needed in these disadvantaged communities. We need to try to ensure social infrastructure is not lost through these programmes not being rolled out fully. There is a need for the Government to give an absolute message and commitment that there will be no dilution or delay in having these projects proceed. We must seek this assurance from the European Commission and the British Government. If uncertainty prevails the entire programmes will fall.

See this speech in context