Peter Roche (Galway East, Fine Gael)

Well done. I am clearly running close to the edge of time. I have a contribution to make.

I have found this session, and indeed the session earlier this morning, interesting and extremely engaging. There is a lot of positive stuff coming. There are many great ideas coming from the members and those who are online as well. It is clear from Dr. Ó Caoimh's contribution that the model he and the other witnesses mentioned is compelling. We could do many sessions on the same topic, and we would not run short of conversations.

I was blessed and fortunate while I was with the council to sit on the board of Galway Rural Development. I loved every minute of it, including engaging with the LCDC. One of things that I find compelling about works done through the RSS, Tús, FÁS or the LEADER companies is the community enhancement and village enhancement schemes. We could talk about the community walks, forest walks, all of the community development projects, the home visits to the elderly and all of that. All of these outstanding things happen as a consequence of LEADER funding. Wonderful work has happened as a consequence of work through SICAP. I am interested in that. I was still sitting on the board last year before I arrived here. I felt that the devastating cut to LEADER funding was nearly a slap on the wrist for LEADER companies that wanted to do more because the applications were flowing in to continue to develop and enhance communities.

If there is one thing that collectively we would all wish for - Deputy Danny Healy-Rae has mentioned it - it is that we would continue to enhance these schemes and continue to encourage the Department to fund more of them. In addition to the community element, these schemes support people who are on, or may otherwise be on, social welfare payments as opposed to being out there doing great work. They love it; they do not want to be at home. There are a few things I would wish for. I am not asking for responses on this in case we are over time. I ask that we look at the eligibility criteria for participants and consider putting in place an incentive such as an additional allowance that participants would get, rather than just doing it for €20 more than they would be getting sitting at home. The RSS allows farmers to take up schemes like that. It allows them to go out and get away. We have spoken about men's health and positive well-being. All of that kind of stuff lends itself to the great feeling that a person has when they have made their contribution to their community.

We have three minutes left.

Is there anything Ms Earley wanted to add to what I said by way of closing up?