Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

What the witnesses had to say is very interesting. I believe they have the touch of politics because they are on the ground. Certainly in the Seanad, we tend to live in a bit of a bubble. What the witnesses have to say is disturbing and alarming, but also tremendous. At least they are being part of a massive change and I hope the Government is open to taking their advice.

Who is running the best Leader programme in Ireland? I do not mean the best county by county. What Leader programme is being run brilliantly? While it does not necessarily have to be from their own county, what Leader programme are the witnesses very proud of? What Leader programme is extraordinary, different, creative, imaginative, working financially or whatever? Which one would the witnesses most like to emulate?

This committee also deals with the arts, which Mr. Ludlow mentioned earlier. Have the arts and creativity played any part in Leader programmes and, if so, what was that? I rightly heard mention of rural transport, rural regeneration, energy and mobile phones. However, mobile phones will not save us. Ms Moore's document makes much mention about people being the message.

Deputy Heydon asked about funding already. Mr. Ludlow referred to creative funding that we are not drawing down. Does he mean creativity within the sciences and technology or does it also incorporate the arts? Why are we not doing that? I ask him to go over that again. I also ask him to expand on the need to pay €5,000 to make an application and having to look for that €5,000 from some corporate organisation. How big an application would warrant €5,000? I believe someone who ran for the Presidency of this country once had a job doing applications for the lottery. Am I right on that? Why should it cost €5,000?

With his experience, will Mr. Byrne tell me where the power lies? If he could shift it, what would he shift and where would he put it? Why does he feel Kildare County Council was shafted?

We talk about educating citizens to use local services, as the Deputy said, but we contradict that when we locate a Tesco at the top of the town and an Aldi at the bottom of the town and charge people to park. We need to re-educate ourselves in a thousand different ways.

I ask all the witnesses to tell me about their older communities in Monaghan, Kildare and Meath. In what way does Leader make their lives more sustainable? There is not enough concentration on the elders and far too much concentration on the young. I know that is on the record, but it is just me being a bit dramatic. I thank the witnesses for attending.