Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

What the Deputy would like is that I would not extend CLÁR too far but include all County Monaghan in the programme. It was a good try on the part of the Deputy. I would love to include the whole of Connemara in the CLÁR programme but there was no extension in 2002 of Connemara because it was not warranted. The issue was looked at very carefully. I have here a map that shows the DEDs that are in CLÁR and, in blue, the DEDs in every county that are not in CLÁR that had a population decline of over 50%. There is only one DED in County Monaghan with a population decline of more than 50% that is not included in CLÁR, and it is not in the north but in the east of the county. That is according to the maps that were professionally prepared for us.

Since the question was raised in regard to Wicklow and Carlow, according to the maps, it appears there are two DEDs in Carlow with a population decline of more than 50%, one on each side of the county. There are three in County Wicklow which are also separate from each other. The Department has tried to be as fair and objective as is humanly possible. Very clear ground rules were laid down and every area was examined in detail. It seems to me there is no other area that, on any fair and objective grounds, could by any stretch of the imagination be included in the CLÁR area and therefore the current CLÁR boundaries will remain. If the Deputy wishes, I will supply him with a copy of the map.

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