Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The way the questions were grouped probably did not do justice to Deputy Joan Burton's question about the general application of EU funds, with particular reference to ports. Our colleagues asked questions about PEACE and INTERREG programmes funding. They relate to different matters.

To respond to the first question Deputy Joan Burton put to me about a focus on ports, the Ireland 2040 plan, in the section on connectivity, places a lot of attention on ports and how important they will be post-Brexit. In terms of from where funding will come to allow their development, it will come in one of two ways. Most of it will come from the resources available to ports, but, obviously, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport now has a five-year capital allocation to support important capital projects. Within the five-year window additional support could be made available to make progress on really important projects.

To respond to the questions put to me by Deputies Jonathan O'Brien and Carol Nolan on whether it is feasible to broaden the current range of priorities for funding, it is unlikely to happen because we have agreed to the projects and the funding stream for the current European Union programmes. We had to place a lot of attention on making sure the commitments we had made would be implemented. That was a real priority of mine in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit referendum result. It is unlikely that we will change the breadth of programmes or projects at this point. Where I am placing the majority of the focus of my Department is on what will take place. Regrettably, what we are looking at are equivalent programmes in what are referred to as "third countries" to see how or whether they offer a precedent for the development of programmes post-2020.

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