Ms Mary Mulholland:

Deputy Smyth asked me several direct questions. I made reference to piecemeal schemes. My point is that we are identifying from this pilot a need to have a strategic plan on a page and that the valuable funding streams available to support all the different initiatives need to be aligned to match that plan on a page, which is the ultimate objective. They all have significant value individually but, cumulatively, they would have more. It is about lining up the strategy with the funding streams, which all have significant value in their own right.

Mr. Hynes dealt with the issue of the arts. The arts community also has separate funding streams and it is about integrating all of those objectives. Culture makes a place, especially in small communities, so it is about aligning them. That is not necessarily to say there is anything wrong with them being piecemeal but it is about aligning them with a plan on a page.

To clarify, the objective is to have living, vibrant town centres and mixed tenure is essential to achieve that. It is certainly the responsibility of the local authorities to co-ordinate and formulate the strategic plan. However, the delivery has a public and a private requirement or, otherwise, it will not be sustainable. I agree with Ms McConnell that there is an appetite in the communities. The recent investment under the various schemes, such as the town and village scheme, the RRDF or the outdoor recreation scheme, and the plethora of smaller investments that have been made, are increasing the public appetite to engage in this type of strategic approach. We need to grasp that opportunity and maximise its impact.