Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will address the issue of balanced regional developed as it was outlined in the programme for Government. Balanced regional development requires an active development of regions outside the greater Dublin area, and I stress "active development". It needs to provide opportunities to live and work and sustain a family in towns and villages which are outside the major urban areas. It needs to maintain a viable and progressive agricultural sector and it needs to retain the fabric and unique culture of our rural towns and villages, which really are our inheritance.

During the programme for Government negotiations, a lot of time was spent in discussing balanced regional development. It was one of the core issues identified by the rural TDs who engaged in the negotiations. We were promised a new Ministry for regional development and rural affairs. Unfortunately, we did not get a new Ministry. Rural affairs and regional development was added to the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and we did not get a stand-alone Ministry. We do not know how the amalgamated Ministry is functioning. We do not know what its staffing levels are. We do not know what its goals or responsibilities are or what it has achieved to date. Also in the programme for Government, we were promised that there would be rural-proofing of all Government policy decisions, and we see very little evidence of that.

What is happening in Ireland today is we are developing a group of city states. We are developing urban areas - the greater Dublin area, Cork, Galway, Limerick - but there are considerable areas of the country which are not benefitting from the economic upturn and economic development. We are developing into a nation of city states.

In the programme for Government, it was identified that there would be county-specific targets for jobs which would come in at 1% of the national average for unemployment, and we do not see evidence of those figures coming out. There was a commitment to develop the CEDRA report. We do not see any active evidence of that being done. There was a commitment to develop our national assets, to develop an Atlantic economic corridor and to a balanced regional development. For instance, our airports are not balanced in relation to development. Dublin Airport is getting a second runway.

That will bring a disproportionate level of economic development to the greater Dublin area, to the detriment of other areas. We also have an infrastructure deficit in broadband, mobile telephone coverage and the road network. The fabric of rural society is disintegrating with the loss of post offices and medical and pharmacy services. The economic viability of small towns and villages is being undermined, as is our agriculture. Will the Minister identify the functions of this new Department? What are its staffing levels and its responsibilities, goals, targets and achievements?

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