Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy referred to funding for Donegal, which received the third highest amount of funding from my Department in 2017. That was over €8.6 million more than my county received. The local improvement scheme, LIS, was allocated €3.3 million, CLÁR was allocated €589,000 and the town and village renewal scheme was allocated €1.15 million. These are the programmes we are trying to put in place to create employment and to keep people living and working in rural Ireland. In many counties, including Donegal, funding was provided for digital and food hubs, both of which are responsible for creating jobs. I want to continue that. Unemployment in Donegal fell by 6,000 between 2011 and 2016. I note from recent statistics that the number of children aged under 15 years increased during that period. Donegal has a very bright future.

The county council, the county manager and councillors in Donegal have worked very hard in recent years. They have taken on the tourism aspect of promoting the county. There is no doubt they have bought into that. Many jobs are being created in Donegal. The Wild Atlantic Way gave the county the best lift it ever got. The county manager and elected representatives will tell the Deputy that.

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