Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We are not criticising the Department in any way. What Deputy Ó Cuív was probably trying to say is that we are just flagging it to the Department that some county managers may have a vision that may not be compatible with what we, as elected representatives, or the Department may want to do and that it might be worth keeping an eye on it.

I compliment the Minister on the local improvement schemes. He spoke about some counties having large numbers of by-roads and back roads. In my opinion, the west has more of them than anywhere else in the country. We welcome the funding that comes when it comes. Sometimes the roads programme could be run from May to September. If funding is provided, could the local authorities be given a bit more space? I do not mind if they get the money up-front as long as they get it and the roads are done. Could they get an extra month or two to ensure they have time to get enough of the programme done? I have seen where the Department has gone out and checked whether work was done properly. In fairness, good work is being done.

I spoke to Deputy Ó Cuív about the next issue I wish to raise. In fairness, the Minister of State came to a meeting about it one evening. There is an undercurrent at the moment for which the Department is not responsible. Many voluntary groups around the country are being told that they need this or that form of insurance for Tidy Towns. Villages are all trying to get funding from the €6.2 million and €13 million available for small areas. A list is coming out showing what can be done with or without construction. Somebody building a wall in a town obviously needs to produce a methods statement. The Minister knows the towns in the west better than anyone. Someone might be cutting grass at the edge of the road but there might not be a kerb. We are approaching a stage where there is talk of three-day or one-day courses being required. We must bear in mind that we will be on our knees if we lose these voluntary groups. Other organisations are basically saying they cannot send their people out if the local community does not sign off on this, that or the other. We must remember that these are volunteers filling out a form and signing their names as part of a community group to make their towns better. In fairness, with the funding the Government has given over the past number of years, most of our small towns are looking much better. There is a query at the moment. In fairness to the Chairman and the staff here, they are trying to get the different bodies together. A town with more than 1,000 cars travelling through it is in a different category when it comes to this insurance. I am talking about towns like Milltown. There is a fair bit of fear among voluntary bodies that do not know where they stand at the moment and I am concerned that this fear is spreading. We had a private meeting about it. I do not want to say too much about this. We are talking about bringing people in here to try to nail the issue down. What are the Minister's views on it?

In fairness to the Minister, he is very good at spending money. Is there any hope that responsibility for the likes of the CCTV set-up could be transferred to him? Regarding the walks and the different funds, could community groups get a calendar regarding when CLÁR and all various other schemes are coming? With the new drink driving laws, we all get it in the ear about the pubs. If we are bringing out new schemes, such as those relating to rural transport, buses or something to solve the problem for communities, would the Department be prepared to take them over?

This year there is a worrying development under the heading of community sewerage schemes, with which the Minister will be familiar from his own area. The new set-up is such that funding can be obtained only if one taps into the Irish Water network. Will the Minister's Department work with the Department responsible for the environment? The latter has stated to us, probably to fob us off, that the Department of Rural and Community Development will be launching a new scheme.

On hillwalkers, a couple of months ago the Minister spoke about legislation to indemnify farmers. How is it progressing?

Reference has been made to towns of various sizes. All towns - big, medium and small - need a little money. There is no point in saying they do not. Could funding be ring-fenced for towns with fewer than 500 people, which we call small villages, to bring them up a little? Such towns, by comparison with bigger ones, feel like the child who never grew when applying for funding. They feel it is harder to obtain funding when in with the big boys.

When will the CLÁR programme review be carried out? There are areas that are under pressure and the circumstances of which have changed that probably now qualify under the programme but are not included.

Will there be a focus on areas included in the REDZ scheme? As Deputy Ó Cuív said, it has been proved that CLÁR programme areas are struggling a little. Could they be helped a little more?