Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am not disappointed; I am actually delighted. This is the first time in the Oireachtas I have ever heard positive words about the EU from Sinn Féin. I am really glad to hear that and I mean it. The money the Senator is talking about is from the EU budget. At the time the EU budget was agreed in July 2020, there was significant criticism from Sinn Féin about increased contributions for defence and all these other things they talk about. This is real, practical support.

The Senator asked me to engage with The Wheel. In fact, I worked with The Wheel on the Access Europe programme which is under the Department of Foreign Affairs and which The Wheel organises. Its purpose is to ensure organisations within the community space, some of which are probably in the arts, can access European funding. We work very closely with The Wheel.

I am glad to hear the Senator's positive comments about the European Union. When we talk about the EU budget and hear all these scare stories all the time, particularly at referendum times, there is actually a lot of funding like this and the Senator is right to highlight it. We need Irish organisations to be drawing down and working with the desk----