Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is a crucial point because there is a lot of human capital and a great deal of experience and expertise within the system - the SEUPB and the local authorities - and we need to protect and harness that. I had an opportunity on two occasions earlier this year to visit Northern Ireland and different projects that received funding under INTERREG 5A and PEACE IV. I visited Belfast in March and Derry in June, where I saw up close the transport hub and the Waterside shared village project. There are so many exciting projects in the Border counties, including in Cavan-Monaghan, the constituency the Deputy represents, that will benefit from the programme which has been agreed. The final piece of the jigsaw is the financing agreement and I assure the Deputy that the pre-application support work is continuing. I look forward to final approval of the financing agreement and then a formal launch of this programme whereby it can open up for applications.

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