Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is a need for the development of a specialised rural policy which could be integrated into any future programme for Government. This has not been done to date and the approach has been a bit scattered and fragmented.

I wish the Minister of State, Deputy Ann Phelan, the very best and believe that she has one of the most responsible positions in Government. Several glaring deficiencies have been raised with Deputies representing rural Ireland, and there is a need for collective responsibility in Cabinet to address them. Some of the issues I raised pertain to various Departments, and the Cabinet will have to wake up and focus on the areas that need to be addressed urgently. In that context, I believe that the Minister of State, Deputy Ann Phelan, is entitled to sit at the Cabinet table, as was done in the past with other Ministers of State. I cannot recollect the details precisely but during the time of the so-called rainbow Government, a Minister of State was elevated to Cabinet. I ask that this be done immediately in the case of the Minister of State.

I compliment Mr. Pat Spillane on the sterling work he has done and also Mr. Edmond Harty from Dairymaster, a very successful rural company. The recommendations in the report of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas could be very effective if they were implemented properly. I hope the Government will give local partnerships the responsibility they deserve because they have delivered high-quality service under the Leader programme. I welcome the new Leader programme that has been introduced and I hope that the role of the partnerships will not be diluted. I urge the Government to give some teeth, so to speak, to the position of the Minister of State, Deputy Ann Phelan, to allow her to implement the recommendations of the aforementioned CEDRA report.

See this speech in context