Professor Cathal O'Donoghue:

In terms of local economic development, we push very much that areas need to work on their unique selling points and to optimise their existing resources. Language is a distinct cultural asset which allows areas to create uniqueness and develop niche economic opportunities. The Senator mentioned access to education. One of our core recommendations and focuses was on the delivery of greater skills training within rural areas, perhaps tapping into some of the infrastructure that exists in the education and training boards and old VECs nationally with high-speed broadband. Links might be built to the institutes of technology to have more remote access without having to construct huge scale facilities in remoter areas.

Senator Ó Clochartaigh made a point about multitasking. From our point of view in Teagasc, about two thirds of farmers require off-farm employment to maintain a viable household. Therefore, businesses like the creative sector, which can provide part-time niche employment, are important in balancing the household budget.

As regards the Leader programme, the uniqueness and niche dimension to businesses within the creative sector are consistent with the goals of Leader funding whereby they should not duplicate or compete against existing money. Therefore, there would be opportunities in terms of attracting funding from that source.