Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for being ambitious. It is very important that these targets be reviewed. If one looks at the headline figures, there is an ambition to create 135,000 new jobs by 2020. The Minister is right to be ambitious and ensure the target is monitored. It is very important for a constituency such as Longford-Westmeath to increase the number of overseas visitors. The ambition in the plan to increase it by 12% is also very worthwhile. Some 600 villages across rural Ireland will benefit from funding through the Department. It is very important to note, looking at the schemes to which the Minister referred, that 80% of the arts and culture budget is going to rural Ireland, while the CLÁR and town and village renewal schemes are key programmes under which people will be able to see tangible projects delivered in rural Ireland by the Government. It is important to continue that programme of investment. I have no doubt that if the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ring, replicates his successful delivery of the sports capital programme, the CLÁR programme will be a huge success.

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