Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

My question regards the impact of Brexit, even if there is a deal but particularly if there is no deal, on the entire country and particularly rural Ireland, which will be most badly affected. That is particularly true of the Border corridor. The INTERREG programme recognises border corridors throughout Europe as areas of economic disadvantage by the very fact that they have a border running through them. The Border in Ireland is a most unnatural border because it breaks townlands and parishes and cuts through the whole of rural Ireland. It runs through a very rural area. I seek an assurance from the Minister and his Department that plans are in place to invest in those areas in the context of Brexit. Those areas will need an absolute commitment that we can pour money into them to try and ensure the negative impacts of Brexit will be curtailed.

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