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

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. I welcome the substantial chapter on the shared island initiative in the national development plan.

Specific commitments are made there for cross-Border and all-Ireland projects, both in the area of infrastructural development and the delivery of services.

The NDP also references the fact that the economy of the central Border area is predominantly driven by small and medium enterprises. The last time we discussed the shared island unit during Taoiseach's Questions, I mentioned the needs of the central Border area, including Cavan, Monaghan, Fermanagh and Tyrone. There needs to be a particular focus to ensure we get a fair drawdown from the shared island fund. Those counties, both North and South, face particular challenges due to Brexit that are well documented in research and they also face challenges due to the pandemic that we have not seen the downside of yet. I am anxious that particular projects in the central Border area would be given priority and I am glad the NDP mentions the Cuilcagh lakelands UNESCO global geopark and the potential to develop such projects. Along with county councillors, I discussed the need to expand that particular park on the Cavan and Fermanagh border with the Taoiseach. It is that type of initiative that is essential if we are to grow the economy of the central Border area.

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