Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and his officials to the committee. I acknowledge the level of reform the Minister has initiated across a range of sectors, much of which is positive. Having read the rural challenge group's report, I realise it is difficult to consider rural areas in isolation from urban ones because there is a huge interconnection between both. My own constituency of Galway West includes Galway city, Connemara to the west and east Galway on the other side. There is a major interconnection between these areas, with many people travelling from rural areas to work in Galway city. During the Celtic tiger years, there were vibrant rural communities but that is not to say that there was local employment in those areas. There was employment in cities, however, and movement of labour, but that has obviously changed now so it is very difficult. I welcome many of the initiatives and comments in the report, but we must accept that there is a big connection between rural and urban areas.

Agritourism is mentioned widely in the report and it was referred to by the Minister also. I accept the work that has been done concerning Mayo. The Minister will be aware of the ongoing work on the Connemara greenway, which has gone through the An Bord Pleanála hearing. We are awaiting a decision on that and hopefully it will be positive. That initiative will help places like Clifden and others, as will a strong outcome for the Common Agricultural Policy. Hopefully the Minister will come up with an agreeable structure for distributing those CAP moneys.

The Minister will be aware of the concern in some rural areas regarding changes to Leader programme structures. I have already brought to the Minister's attention the Leader company in Connemara, which is called Forum Connemara. It has a long history going back to 1989. That company is very concerned about the changes because it is in a peripheral location which is one hour and ten minutes from Galway city. The company feels therefore that the structural changes would lead to a certain amount of isolation, notwithstanding the Minister's support for a bottom-up approach in any new structures.

How will the Minister address that company's concerns that any new structures would lead to more peripherality for a place like Letterfrack? In some isolated, peripheral rural locations, State jobs - including ones provided through the Leader programme - are hugely important to the local economy. Seven, ten or 12 jobs in a small community like that can have a major impact. Where those services are being drawn into Galway city, albeit in county buildings, the local community is concerned.

I appreciate the Minister has pointed out that, despite the administrative burden, including cheque writing, that will be taken over, there will still be a bottom-up approach. Nonetheless, there is still some concern that once Galway city and the county council take control, it will lead to a reduction in the role of Forum Connemara.

Some time ago, I attended a crafts show in the RDS. We have a vibrant craft sector whose representatives have attended this committee before. There is wonderful work going on in small arts and crafts companies in rural areas. They should be supported into the future. I would be grateful if the Minister would deal with those points.