Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Cullinane for his remarks on CEDRA. It is an opportunity for people to get together and examine the main issues on which we should concentrate in the next round of rural development funding.

Multi-agency buy-in is important. That is the principle behind what we are trying to do. Some believe that when one seeks buy-in from agencies, someone must give way. I do not look at it that way. I see it as collaboration where everyone is around the table making a contribution. One does not need the same level of duplication, overlap and administrative duplication in particular that exists currently. A stronger sense of involvement on a particular objective to be delivered is required whether it relates to an individual project or a community policy.

The membership of the socio-economic committees will be determined and agreed in consultation with the agencies and those involved in the community sector. They will be representative of public, private and community. Some of the local State agencies will also be represented. The county development boards were supposed to involve all interests but they did not. They all engaged in a silo mentality and conducted turf wars in order to hold on to whatever money they had and they would not give way. That is the reason the previous approach did not work. There were a couple of exceptions however, for example, in Westmeath. The intention was that county development boards would come together and invest resources in order to achieve a local objective. From my experience and feedback from most local authorities, the system did not work. I hope we can put a structure in place that will work better.

I agree with Senator Cullinane about the high level of unemployment in the south east. I welcome his interest in the area. Sinn Féin was not supportive of what we were trying to do with hospitals in Kilkenny and Wexford lately. I am delighted to know that it is not all about Waterford with Senator Cullinane but his concern is regional. Everywhere in the region is entitled-----