Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank all of the Deputies who have contributed to the debate on the formation of the new Department of Rural and Community Development. I think most Deputies have the best interests of rural Ireland at heart and see the merits in setting up a dedicated Department to progress the social and economic development of rural Ireland, as well as supporting both rural and urban communities through the community development division of the new Department.

The purpose of the Bill we are debating is to establish a new Department of State. The Bill is standard legislation in this regard. The detail of the functions of the Department will be addressed through a transfer of functions order. Work is ongoing on the transfer of functions from the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. There are a small number of areas still under discussion between the relevant Ministers and Secretaries General, but the first transfer of functions orders will be brought to Government for approval at the earliest opportunity.

A number of Deputies have expressed views about specific functions they believe should transfer to the new Department of Rural and Community Development. I appreciate why they might hold these views, but the fact of the matter is that rural and community development is the responsibility of many Departments and the impact can be all the better for a multi-departmental approach. It is better for the Ministers with policy responsibility and expertise in particular areas to apply their policies to the benefit of rural Ireland, whether that be in respect of housing, jobs, roads or services. Just as the Government tackled the jobs crisis on a whole-of-Government basis through the Action Plan for Jobs, we need every Department to play its part in helping revitalise rural Ireland. We need key economic Departments such as Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Communications, Climate Action and Environment, and Transport, Tourism and Sport to be full and active participants in supporting rural Ireland and supporting community development.

My role will be to ensure that a co-ordinated approach is taken across Government. I will be the voice for rural Ireland at the Cabinet table and will make other Departments accountable for their actions regarding rural Ireland. The new Department of Rural and Community Development will have a strong policy focus in its own right and will work closely across the Government system to ensure that other Departments' policies are rural-proofed.

This is what the action plan for rural development is about. That is why it is different from what has been tried previously. I assure the Deputies that I will be seeking to increase the funding available for rural Ireland in the 2018 budget. Issues such as broadband, infrastructure and jobs are the key priorities for rural Ireland, and need investment. There are other things that we can do that are not dependent on money to make a lasting impact on rural Ireland. For example, my officials have started work on developing a new policy for social enterprise. This is something that has been sorely absent up to now, but my officials have already started on the process, in consultation with the social enterprise sector.

Deputy Tóibín raised a number of points which I would like to respond to on the subject of Leader. I share the Deputy’s concern about the programme. Every Deputy here today raised the issue of the Leader programme. I want to see the programme implemented as effectively and as efficiently as possible, and I am aware of the concerns that have been expressed regarding some of the administrative procedures related to the programme. On 17 May, the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, hosted a forum with participants from all of the local action groups and the local development companies delivering Leader to explore the issues of concern to them and to identify potential solutions aimed at streamlining the current procedures. As a result of that consultation process, we have been in touch with all of the local action groups and local development companies to update them on 31 improvements that we intend to make to improve the administrative process under Leader. On the basis of the administrative changes being introduced and the progress now being made by the local action groups, I anticipate a significant increase in project approvals and payments under Leader over the coming months.

On the issue of regional development, I believe that strong regions provide the basis for improving economic opportunities and job creation in rural areas. My Department will continue to support regional development and to deliver the regional initiatives it has been involved in to date. These include working with the Western Development Commission to support the economic development of the western region, progressing the Atlantic economic corridor proposal with key stakeholders, working with local authorities to facilitate the preparations for the roll-out of the national broadband plan, and to improve mobile phone services throughout the regions. My Department will continue to work closely with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government on the new national planning framework and with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in relation to the regional action plans for jobs.

With regard to the Western Development Commission, one of the first things I intend to do once the new Department is established is to appoint a new board and to give them a clear mandate to work together and to co-operate with other key agencies to support the development of the western region. A priority for the incoming board will be to appoint a new CEO. I have received sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to make this appointment, but it is the board’s function to arrange the recruitment of that person and I hope they will do it quickly. I also want to clarify a point about the Western Development Commission’s budget. The commission was allocated an additional €1 million in capital funding for 2016 and 2017, but was restricted under its legislation as to how that could be spent. I secured additional current funding for the Western Development Commission at the end of 2016 to conduct some additional work for the Department.

I assure Deputy Tóibín that my new Department is also active in the area of North-South co-operation. I will be involved in the North-South Ministerial Council set up under the Good Friday Agreement and officials from my Department will also participate on the steering committee on cross-Border rural development, SCCBRD, where there is regular and ongoing contact between officials on both sides of the Border.

I compliment all the Deputies today who raised many rural issues. I have been given the responsibility for rural economic development, and I will do my best. It is a great honour to be in the Cabinet. I have a very difficult job to do, but I intend to do that job. I intend to work with all of the Deputies in this House, to listen to their views and to do whatever I can at Cabinet level to make sure that rural Ireland gets its fair share of the national cake. Of course there are many difficulties out there, but there are many positive things happening in rural Ireland as well. There are many very bright young people who are working very hard and are setting up businesses. They are people who want some support. There are many small businesses. If they got a little support from the local authorities and Government, they would be able to employ many more people. It is my job as Minister to make sure that every Government Department is rural-proofed, and I will do that.

The Deputies raised many issues, and we have many issues. I am will not be able to resolve every single issue that was raised here today, but I certainly will be there at Government level to support and make sure that Ministers are listening and that the Government will provide the necessary funding to do what needed to be done. Dr. Carty has said that we have to try to get people back living in rural Ireland. That is why when I came in as Minister of State that I re-introduced the CLÁR programme. I know Deputy Ó Cuív raised it today. He set up that scheme, but it had not operated for many years. I re-introduced that scheme. The rural recreation scheme, the town and village scheme, and many other schemes have to be looked at to see what we can do to assist and help rural communities. That is my job, and I will do it. I want to get the approval of the House today so that I can sit down with Government to get my orders and make sure I can carry out whatever responsibility I have. I will discuss it at committee and the Dáil, and do whatever we can do together to try and revitalise rural Ireland. That is my job and the job of the Deputies present here. Working together I believe that we can have a better rural Ireland.

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