Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is correct on the greenways, farm assist scheme and the rural transport scheme. When I attended the first meeting with the Taoiseach and the Cabinet subcommittee, I made the point. When the Deputy was a Minister in the past, he had the same problem. I have made a strong case on the greenways. That is not decided yet and I hope I will have responsibility. If we have responsibility for the walkways and the other schemes in place in our Department, we should have the greenways as well. I have worked with the Taoiseach on this and we will hold discussions and meetings in coming weeks with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

As the Deputy will know from his dealings with Secretaries General and assistant secretaries, nobody wants to let any powers go or let any budget go. However, I believe this should be in this Department. I also believe that many of the community schemes the Deputy mentioned should be in this Department.

I would not agree with him on the farm assist scheme, which should be handled by the Department of Social Protection. I have been talking to the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, about that scheme and I know he is looking at it. We need to simplify that scheme and assist farmers in need of it.

The rural transport scheme is not coming with us and, again, it should be with us. If we have responsibility for rural development, we should have it. I am sure it will be considered at Government.

The Deputy asked specifically about the farm programme. This year, there are 100,000 in the programme. That scheme was suspended previously and it has been kept open every year with a very small budget. I intend to develop that scheme this year and next year. I will go back to the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and the Department looking for further funding. If there are any savings within the Department, I intend for them to go into the CLÁR programme, which is one of the best schemes the Deputy introduced. It has assisted rural areas and is very badly needed now.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae spoke earlier about group water schemes. In the past, where the local contribution was difficult to get, it was topped up by the CLÁR programme. Deputy Ó Cuív introduced some very good schemes in that regard. I will look at those schemes again. I have asked my officials to draw up plans immediately for any savings or any further funding we can get this year. I hope we will be able to divert funding from other schemes where money is not being used. Previously there were class two and class three roads and that worked well.

The flashing amber scheme outside schools was brilliant. We want to examine the local improvement scheme in the context of roads, an issue that was raised with the councillors yesterday. I also want to examine small group sewerage schemes and a few other schemes that I have in mind to put in place.

The Deputy also asked about compensation for farmers and I agree with his comments. In my previous Department, the goodwill payment was suspended for five years but I put the scheme back in place last year because it works. The National Roads Authority experienced little disruption in taking land from farmers. In addition to them getting compensation for their land at the going rate, they received a goodwill payment of up to €5,000 in some cases. The payment has been reduced but the old funding was allowed to remain for some of the older schemes. The top-up is now €3,000 per acre. With regard to greenways, if we are taking land off farmers, they will have to get the going rate where possible. If the land is in public ownership, that is a different ball game but we should consider a scheme in the future, when resources permit, for people who co-operate with the State and make their land available.