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

I also thank the Minister of State for her reply and acknowledge her work in this area. The PEACE and INTERREG programmes were established in the mid-1990s to support the peace process at the time. These funding programmes supported economic development, particularly community development and infrastructure, as well as education and some social areas. I agree with Deputy Breathnach, however, that what is needed now, alongside the INTERREG and PEACE programmes, is a specific economic initiative to protect the existing economy.

As the Minister of State has heard me argue previously, agrifood, construction products and engineering are the main economic sectors in counties Cavan and Monaghan. They are also the sectors that are most heavily dependent on exports to the Northern Ireland and British markets and they will be most adversely impacted by Brexit. To try to protect jobs and grow the economy locally, we need a specific initiative with a local economic dimension. That is why we need a new programme administered by the agencies with a cross-Border remit. At this time, it is essential that the Government, along with the British Government, consider the establishment of such a specific stream of funding for economic development and protection.

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