Ms Nollaig Whyte:

I reiterate that Roscommon County Council has a strong commitment to regeneration and there are two ways we show that. First, we have just set up a multidisciplinary team to cover the entire county. Second, the largest catalyst in Boyle was the purchase of the Royal Hotel site. Through having that site and getting the planning ready, we were ready for the RRDF funding that has stimulated the rest of the work we have done. There is an interest and a passion from people on the street. In June, some of the people who had lived on the street came back to the works and told us their story. Additional properties began to be done up as a result of the historic towns initiative. Sometimes, it is just a question of seeing a bit of confidence. However, the added incentive of having a financial contribution towards doing the work makes a big difference. It needs to be sustainable so we need a three-way partnership between the local authority, the community and property owners, and the employers to provide jobs in the area.