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

One of the many benefits of the Good Friday Agreement has been the development of the all-Ireland economy. That economy has evolved without any political sloganeering, waving of flags or fanfare. I welcome the research on economic and social opportunities on an all-Ireland basis under the shared island initiative.

The Taoiseach may recall that at the Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, I mentioned that within those studies, there should be a subset with particular reference to the development of enterprise in the central Border area. We need additional enterprise centres and workspace because of the huge cost for start-up businesses and small enterprises in putting appropriate infrastructure and workspace in position. Cavan and Monaghan county councils and local enterprise offices, along with their colleagues north of the Border, are putting together proposals with regard to the need for funding on a cross-Border basis to develop enterprise centres. I hope that can happen because economically, we are the most vulnerable part of the Border region and we need new industrial infrastructure.

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