Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. These schemes are very helpful to rural people and rural life. A total of €35 million will be available for the Leader programme to which I have made major changes to try to get Leader companies to deliver it. Next year, €40 million will be allocated. While I have €35 million for this year, I hope later on in the year to put in a further €5 million if required. I encourage the Deputies opposite to ensure that Leader companies take in the applications and deliver the funding. The funding is there. While there have been a few problems, I have dealt with many of them. I am looking to see how we can resolve matters to support Leader companies and ensure the money gets out into rural Ireland. The community service programme has been brought into my Department. I am delighted that more than €46 million will transfer with it. It is a very important programme which helps people from disadvantaged areas by assisting groups to create employment for them. SICAP, the social inclusion and community activation programme, will receive €43.2 million, which funding is badly needed in disadvantaged areas.

A great deal that is positive is happening in rural Ireland. Sometimes, the Deputies sitting across from me acknowledge the work that is going on and the fine quality of the people we have living and working in rural Ireland. There are major multinational companies investing in rural Ireland. While, of course, we have some disadvantages, we have many positive attributes also. We have a lot of people who want to stay in rural Ireland to live and work. My job is to ensure that every Minister at the Cabinet table helps us to get our fair share of the national cake and create an environment for jobs so that people can live and work in rural Ireland.

An issue which is causing a great deal of concern is broadband. The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Denis Naughten, and I are rolling it out on a daily basis and ensuring that local authorities address anything that might hold it up.

We have provided some funding. Last year my Department provided funding to every county to make sure there is a dedicated person who can be contacted if there is a problem. Many things are happening behind the scenes. Broadband services are being rolled out in many places, but we want more places to benefit and we want it to happen faster. We want to make sure broadband is rolled out to every corner of the country because it is the most important infrastructure.

Recently, we opened the Tuam to Gort bypass. That was provided for in the stimulus budget of 2012. Three major projects were announced then. The Tuam to Gort bypass has been a tremendous success given the number of people using it. It has shortened their journeys by more than half and hour and it has opened up the north west. We need to continue that now and develop that motorway route through Claremorris and Sligo.

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