Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Technically, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport is the lead Department and Deputy Ring is the Minister for Rural and Community Development. As he knows, if the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport knew his Department was putting money on the table it would put it up to that Department to be a lead Department and not one that just says "no". In my view, certainty about money would greatly encourage the Department just as European money used to act as a leverage. One of the initial hallmarks of CLÁR was leverage. In other words, for every €5 million that was spent one hoped to leverage another €10 million or €15 million. The Group R scheme is an obvious one because for every €1 spent one probably receives five times that sum from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport can choose to say "no". The Minister for Rural and Community Development could make an offer that if the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport agreed, his Department would be willing to pay its share. I suggest €7 million a year over three years of unspent Leader funding would make a very significant input. I have no doubt that Fáilte Ireland would be interested in promoting tourism related to the film "The Quiet Man". The Ballyglunin railway station is an obvious project for the west. Such development would enable tourists to travel by steam train, for example, to the film set and allow them to re-enact famous scenes portrayed by Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne. The project would be similar to what is available in Dunbrody, County Wexford. The project would attract every child in the country and adults could pretend they were only going to please their children. I definitely think the Minister could get poly-funding for the project; he is the man to make it happen.