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

I thank the Deputy for acknowledging the work and progress that have already taken place. As he is aware, in essence we have an agreement to allow what is in place to continue up to 2023. We have had extensive engagement with the Commission on these projects. I had engagement with my counterpart in the British Government, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Philip Hammond, during the period in which decisions were being made on the continuation of these programmes up to that point. It is important that I am open with the Deputy. This matter will have to be picked up again as we move into serious negotiations on the multi-annual financial framework in the first half of next year in particular. There is also the context of having to deal with a new British Prime Minister. My intentions are clear and I know these projects work and are valuable. I want to find a way of ensuring we can continue to make progress with them.

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