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

I have a number of questions. The studies seem to show that the fabric of rural Ireland is changing radically. The representatives from Teagasc a number of weeks ago indicated that most young couples want to live in a space where they can achieve dual incomes, because they need that level of income to pay their costs. Therefore they are lining up around major urban areas and that takes the young middle generation out of the equation in rural areas and it means that children are being born into limited spaces around Meath, Dublin, Wicklow and Louth. That is a radical change. Higher costs and lower incomes were raised. Are there statistics on the differences in costs of a person living in a rural area and the income of that person, so that one could see what the gap is and that we could work it out. It is not solely financial costs, but there are health costs of living in rural areas as well. Would there be statistics in regard to the incidence of mental health issues in rural as opposed to urban areas? Would there be statistics on longevity or life expectancy of a person living in a rural area as opposed to an urban area?

Broadband is an important issue because it leads to the ability to make an income and connectivity. One of the issues that has come into focus is human connectivity is really important. In a way we are losing that human connectivity with the onset of the digital age to a certain extent. All the witnesses have indicated the State interactions that lead to positive human connectivity, for example the post office and so on. There is a world of other activities, that Deputy Ó Cuív mentioned, including the GAA football clubs, but I can think also of bingo, church and so on. Has work been done on how the State can support the other human connectivity nodes that exist in society that ameliorate against mental health issues and help against isolation and loneliness as well?

There is a critical issue in respect of the home help service. The staff available to provide home help who live within a short driving distance from homes in rural areas is far lower, so the option are lower and the services they provide are far lower. Are the primary health care teams who provide services for rural areas at full complement? Are they operating at 50% capacity, as I know that is of particular concern with regard to mental health issues because it is the State's objective to provide these services to individuals in their own communities in their own homes? Are we meeting those objectives with respect to the primary care teams?

I now call Deputy Collins.