Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Rural development is very important and as the Minister knows, rural areas have probably suffered more from the downturn than many of the urban areas. The top ten counties in terms of unemployment are rural, with Donegal having the highest rate at approximately 26% unemployed. With the north west, one of the major challenges is access to transport, as it does not have a rail link. The A5 was a good way of getting transport to the rural north-west region, and we are disappointed that some funds for it have been cut.

We should get IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland to promote more rural areas. Údarás na Gaeltachta does not come under the Minister's remit but it had a net loss of jobs in comparison with IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, which showed a net gain of jobs last year. The spatial plan is very important, and it goes hand in hand with the state aid issue discussed just before the Minister came in. The spatial plan would probably help the state aid initiative.

The Minister mentioned some of the difficulties with the local enterprise offices, and this are major problems. There is approximately 20 years of experience in some of the county enterprise boards and there is a danger that this will be dissolved within the new LEOs. Will the Minister speak to what savings are expected with the development of LEOs and what additionality is assumed?

Some county enterprise boards feel local authorities will be downsized. The Minister mentioned in the Seanad that 500 staff would be downsized in local authorities. I am told that some county enterprise boards will lose staff, with some boards going from five members to three members. How are the sub-groups within the implementation working groups getting along? My understanding is that they have ceased deliberations and have not come to an agreement. That may highlight some of the difficulties with regard to the development of the new LEOs. There are also a couple of questions relating to human resources and the secondment of staff into the new LEOs. Will that place a new pension cost on local authorities? The Minister knows I do not seek to be controversial. If an entrepreneur has not paid a property or water tax or any service charges, will he or she be able to get a service from the new LEOs?