Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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42. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will explore the development of a cross-Border development zone with the Assembly’s Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment. [18376/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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There are already a range of mechanisms in place to pursue cross border economic development.

My ongoing engagement with the Northern Ireland Administration through the North South Ministerial Council, both in Plenary format and through the Trade and Business Sectoral sessions, presents a very useful forum to drive cross border and all-island economic issues. I will continue to pursue relevant and appropriate initiatives through the North South Ministerial Council.

I strongly believe that it is important to continue building on what has already been achieved in the region by the relevant State bodies and by local authorities on both sides of the border. The work of the Cross Border Body, InterTrade Ireland,has been foremost in this regard, with a significant range of enterprise development initiatives and programmes in place. My Department jointly funds and provides oversight to this Body, together with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Belfast and it represents a very effective mechanism for tackling business development on an all-island basis. In addition, there is on-going co-operation between Enterprise Irelandand its Northern Ireland counterpart agency, Invest Northern Irelandon areas of mutual interest.

A further useful mechanism has been the work of organisations such as the Irish Central Border Area Network,the North West Region Cross Border Group and East Border Region Ltd.These organisations involve local authorities on both sides of the border working together to pursue the specific needs of communities in their regions. They have the experience and local knowledge to assist with driving future development strategies of mutual interest. Indeed, the projects led by such groups, and others, under the Enterprise Development theme of the INTERREG IVA Programme (2009-2015), have made a significant impact on developing small businesses in the region.My Department co-funds the Enterprise Development strand of this INTERREG Programme, under which a total of 28 individual projects have been initiated. In addition, my Department has been involved in the planning process for the next strand of the INTERREG Programme for the period up to 2020, which has recently been formally approved by the EU, and we will continue to financially support this programme.

The concept of a specific Border Development Zone as a means of fostering economic recovery in the cross-border region of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland was the main theme of a conference organised by the Centre for Cross Border Studies (CCBS) and the International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD) in 2014. This follows the development of this concept in the CCBS-sponsored Bradley/Best economic study of 2012 and I am aware that the CCBS has undertaken further research on the topic in the intervening period also.

The concept of initiating a Border Development Zone in the border region is an interesting proposal. However it could raise significant issues involving EU State Aid Rules and other EU provisions and it would also, of course, require detailed negotiations between both Administrations on this island. There would also, almost certainly, be significant resource issues, which would be challenging in the current financial environment. For these reasons, and while I will of course keep abreast of the ongoing research by the CCBS, I do not envisage the establishment of such a zone as being practical or realistic at this time, especially given the existing, well-developed arrangements which are in place, as set out above.