Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to acknowledge the valuable input of the MABS and the Citizens Information centre staff and volunteers in Limerick and Charleville who provide services in my constituency.

It is very important that we remind ourselves during a debate like this of the regrettable agenda that the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Kyne's party in government has been pursuing for a number of years. It is hollowing out the core of communities, be they rural or urban.

The list, which is not exclusive, includes small schools, Garda stations, banks, credit unions, GP outreach services, public health clinics, Bus Éireann rural transport services, the regional veterinary laboratories, post offices and the Leader companies. All those services in both rural and urban communities are being hollowed out and centralised in larger towns and cities. That is an agenda which has people very worried. It would be very foolish of the Minister to proceed with the agenda he is proposing in terms of the citizens information centres and MABS because people are worried. They have lived through the experience in terms of the list I have just outlined to the Minister of State. They are fearful. Why take services away from people and centralise them in big towns in cities? It does not make sense. I appeal to the Minister, on behalf of my constituents in County Limerick, to reverse his decision, pause for reflection and do the right thing.

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