James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

A lot of work is being done to research local history. Our tourism industry is on its knees and we could improve our signage and the whole tourism infrastructure. Our heritage and tradition has been allowed to disintegrate in recent years and there is a role for people to play in reactivating that. It would be of benefit to the entire community and would create a greater sense of pride in who we are as Irish people.

Our culture must be examined. Library services and the arts and crafts industry, sectors where we had a great deal of pride in the past, could be enhanced. Young people can get involved and it would create a greater sense of being Irish and belonging to the nation where they were born and bred instead of forcing them to emigrate.

Perhaps the Minister would elaborate on her plans to instil a greater sense of pride because there is a role there to create jobs for young people instead of putting them on aeroplanes to emigrate.

See this speech in context