Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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60. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans for the creation of a Border development zone, similar to the Atlantic economic corridor, to ensure proper regional development. [11762/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Border region covers the counties of Donegal, Sligo Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth, and stretches from the North West of the country to the North East. The region is unique in that it provides an interface between the economies of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Each of the counties in the region has its own characteristics and its own economic ties with areas both North and South of the Border. The region faces a number of challenges because of the peripherality of some of its areas and its potential exposure to the impact of Brexit.

The Action Plan for Jobs for the North West and North East regions, which is overseen by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, T.D., is seeking to develop the potential of the region through enhanced cooperation between public and private stakeholders to support enterprise growth and job creation.

In addition, the Action Plan for Rural Development, which I launched recently, includes a number of measures to support the region, including through the development of cross-Border tourism initiatives.

The Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Simon Coveney, T.D., also recently launched a consultation process on the development of a new National Planning Framework which will provide a basis to support more effective regional development in the future.

In light of the initiatives outlined above, I do not have any additional plans at this point in time to develop a Border development zone. However, the outcome of the National Planning Framework process should help to inform the potential for the development of the Border region in the long-term.