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

We have our work cut out for us to maintain what we have agreed. Considerable effort had to go into ensuring that the commitments made up to 2020 were met. It would be of great help to our efforts if the institutions of Northern Ireland were in place to assist us in this work. We are working directly with the special EU programmes body, SEUPB, which oversees the implementation of these programmes, to ensure that commitments we have are met. Our focus now has to be on whether when the UK leaves the EU these programmes will be maintained and if so where the money will come from to maintain them and what structures it will flow through. This is a very big question. I am committed, as I have said on several occasions, to coming up with a way in which we can maintain our commitment to these programmes because I have seen at first hand their valuable effect and would be very concerned if that work was not to continue.

In response to Deputy Burton, yes I have had discussions with the Commission about the kind of support Ireland may need as the UK leaves the EU. The nature of the support that we may need will depend on the form of the UK's exit. That is a matter of intense negotiation at the moment. It is one of the reasons I welcome the fact that we have a transition period in place to give more time for resolving and understanding these exceptionally serious matters.

See this speech in context