Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for being late as I was at other meetings. I welcome the witnesses, in particular Ms Carroll and Mr. Ó Lionáin, whom I met just last Friday in the Corlea centre at the launch of the just transition, which was mentioned. That is €68 million and, to be parochial, a significant amount of that investment is going to go into the counties that are most affected, even though I know it applies to a bigger area. I know the witnesses are not going to comment on it. I just want to highlight that we need to make sure that areas like Longford, Roscommon and Offaly, where plants were closed down and jobs were lost, receive more than their fair share. I think they are entitled to that, to be honest.

The witnesses mentioned Platforms for Growth. I know Longford County Council submitted an application and was not successful, although I think it got down to the last 11 with a proposal for the old Connolly Barracks site, which it owns. I apologise if the witnesses have been asked this question already. Are other opportunities opening up shortly for local authorities or local organisations to put forward for capital funding of that nature to develop a project? I come from a county which had the lowest numbers some years ago and we worked very hard to try to build our base and utilise the assets - I am involved in the tourism committee there and have been for a long number of years. It is only when people come and see the level of natural beauty we have, and the trails and walkways which we have in abundance, that they see Longford in a more positive light.

One issue that we have in the county is accommodation, apart from the current situation where a lot of accommodation is being taken up for refugees. We still need a flagship four-star hotel in the region, something we do not have. It is up to us to build the infrastructure, bring the people and get that investment to come in so someone might develop the opportunity that I believe is there. Is there going to be an opportunity for us in the short term to have another go for capital funding?