Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I assure Deputy Fleming that the Minister of State, Deputy Ann Phelan, has had one-to-one conversations with me and all of my Cabinet colleagues on issues relating to rural Ireland to ensure we prioritise them within our areas of responsibility. Small rural schools would be an example of one of the issues about which I have had intensive discussions with her.

On the issue of Ministers of State sitting at the Cabinet table, apart from the Chief Whip, the Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Nash, attends Cabinet meetings alongside his senior Minister, Deputy Bruton, because the Government has made jobs one of its top priorities. As Deputy Fleming said in his opening remarks, job creation is crucial in rural Ireland. We need to build on the strengths of different parts of the country to provide jobs for people near their homes. Having two Ministers from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the Cabinet table is significant. Whoever is in Government after the next general election will decide which areas should be given priority in the context of seats at the Cabinet table.

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