Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To answer Deputy Tóibín's question, we have allocated funding within our budget to rural Ireland. We have a €12 million town and village enhancement programme. I am getting very positive feedback from local authorities and from individuals from communities right across the country. We launched €10 million in funding this year and they are working extremely hard to put together good applications to get funding to support projects that will make a difference in their rural communities. Deputy Tóibín will be aware, as I am, that there is nothing better than communities and those at local level making decisions that can impact beneficially on their area.

In relation to Deputy Eamon Ryan's question, there is an increasing recognition that the protection and presentation of our natural heritage is necessary for continued economic expansion, regional and rural development as well as for increasing quality of life.

I welcome the focus on the role of our natural resources and cultural assets proposed by the outline of a national planning framework, in particular, the proposed linkages to policies designed to protect and promote our built and natural heritage. Indeed, I accept what Deputy Eamon Ryan is saying, that we need to look at our landscape, and at our bogs. The bogs are a tremendous asset that is unique to this country. It is about developing those assets in a positive way.

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