Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 1 March 2017
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed)
2:10 pm
Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source
I welcome the introduction of a rural social scheme. Unfortunately, the people who want to access it cannot do so. I know of many fellas who want to avail of the scheme but to qualify they must receive a means tested payment first. Sadly, they cannot join. There are also people who are in receipt of social welfare payments but do not want to avail of the rural social scheme.
The real problem with rural Ireland, in particular Kerry, is that we have no infrastructure. We do not have a motorway or road into the county and we do not have broadband. Mobile phones that did work do not work now, whatever has gone wrong with them. Instead of the service improving, it is getting worse. What will be the result?
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