Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

First, cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. During the Second Stage debate last night, Members went over the various aspects of this Bill in great detail with the Tánaiste and at the time I noted it was somewhat historic in that three of its four elements relate to past events. I reiterate Members' welcome - I believe it was unanimous - for the accession of the Republic of Croatia. However, in the context of the protocol that is about to be put into law through its inclusion in the original 1972 treaty, I wish to raise again with the Minister of State an issue I raised with the Tánaiste. Unfortunately, because of the division of ministerial duties yesterday, the Tánaiste was present for the first part of the debate while the Minister of State, Deputy Costello, attended its second part. As a result, the Minister of State referred only to those contributions he had heard during his presence and there was nothing about contributions during the first half of the debate. Given the Minister of State's European affairs role, she may be able to provide clarification in respect of the meeting that took place recently in Rome between Angela Merkel and representatives of Italy and France, in which there was some talk of a figure of €180 billion being set aside as a form of stimulus package that would involve the European Investment Bank, EIB, unspent Structural Funds and other sources. Reference was made to the aforementioned sum of €180 billion and were the Minister of State to clarify, I would be grateful. Obviously, it would be in the Government's interests to be able to access funding for infrastructural projects in particular, which from what I have been reading is being discussed in the margins at least. The focus of my query is whether the Minister of State has positive news in this regard, whereby Ireland might be able to access money to be used for structural projects.