Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Minister. In the interests of rural communities, we need his Department to be successful and to be able to take on the many challenges that rural communities are facing including issues such as the rural road network, which is crumbling in many places. Will the Department be responsible for rural broadband, for example? We need to see the national broadband programme advanced. Rural communities are faced with declining services right across the board. These include basic services such as access to general practitioners, while post offices, shops and petrol stations are being closed and schools are under pressure for teachers. Will the new Department have ownership of or be in a position to deal with these issues?

Will the Department take responsibility for rural enterprise and, for example, the Leader programme? Many farmers such as beef and sheep farmers are struggling to make a living without direct payments. Populations in rural areas are declining. GAA clubs are struggling to put together teams and are being forced to amalgamate. It is clear that there are many pressures on rural communities. Will the Department have the responsibilities and the resources to take on these challenges?

The last Government did away with the Department, which was fitting given its anti-rural Ireland bias. It is good that there has been a reawakening or a Damascene conversion. I hope that this is not just a token gesture and that there is substance behind it. We have seen our fourth rural Ireland plan in 33 months and we need delivery on it in the interests of those communities. We need the Department to take a leadership role and to implement the necessary actions. Will these different responsibilities be transferred from the other Departments to that of the Minister or will they remain part of the current Departments with the Minister running between them trying to put a rural Ireland blas on each of the actions?

Maidir le cúrsaí Gaolainne agus Gaeltachta, tá na Gaeltachtaí éagsúla amuigh faoin tuath agus táid ag brath go láidir ar cheantair tuaithe a bheith beo agus bríomhar. Tá ceangal dlúth eatarthu agus táid ag cur go mór lena chéile. Maidir le hábhair ar nós fostaíocht, Údarás na Gaeltachta, pleanáil teanga, pleanáil pobail agus go leor eile, an bhfuil sé i gceist gnóthaí Gaeltachta a bheith mar chuid den Roinn seo?

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