Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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486. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she will report on the allocation in 2019 to North-South bodies in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45890/18]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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InterTrade Ireland (ITI) is one of the six North-South Implementation Bodies established under the Good Friday Agreement. It operates a wide range of enterprise support programmes to develop cross border business and assist SMEs with growth, capacity building, and research and innovation. ITI is jointly funded by my Department and its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Department for the Economy.

The Expenditure Report 2019, published in October, set out the summary capital and current allocations for my Department for 2019. While definitive allocations for the Department and its agencies and bodies will not be finalised until the Revised Estimates Process is complete, it is my intention to provide an additional €1m in capital funding to ITI, which will bring its total allocation to €9.125 million.

ITI is playing a significant role as part of the response to Brexit and the body is facing increased demand for its services. This additional funding - an increase of 17.5% - will help it to meet demand in existing programmes, develop new initiatives and to support firms facing the particular North-South challenges associated with Brexit.