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

I welcome the additional substantial funding being provided for the shared island unit. There is a particular need in the less developed areas of the central border region, including my counties of Cavan and Monaghan, as well as counties Tyrone, Fermanagh and Armagh, as they do not have the critical mass of a major population. The programme for Government refers to developing the full potential of the Dublin-Belfast economic corridor. I think that will develop itself. We need to prioritise resources for the less-developed areas and I sincerely hope we will do so.

The programme for Government also refers to mandating each Government Department to come forward with projects. That is worthwhile, but I am glad the potential and role of local authorities is also recognised in that document. I recall very well that prior to the Good Friday Agreement and the political atmosphere and environment we have today, local authorities were doing work on a cross-Border basis, to their credit. There is great corporate knowledge within local authorities, and worthwhile projects. I am particularly anxious that a proposal I put forward some time ago relating to development of enterprise units - local innovation centres - on a cross-Border, all-Ireland basis, particularly for the Border region, should be prioritised.

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