Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There was no vision. We are asking that, through the national planning framework, such a vision would be set out for urban and rural Ireland and all the various cities and towns. There would be the three regional plans and the county plans and we can then make it happen and put funding in place to achieve that. There was no plan or vision and that is why there was decline. We are trying to correct that although it will not happen in two or three years. These are long-term commitments backed up by the Government and its Departments and agencies, all of which are involved and can make that happen. There is endless opportunity for ambition for Offaly, Portlaoise and the other areas represented by the Deputy. The key point is to take the opportunity to make it happen.

As I mentioned earlier, there will be further opportunities to elaborate on the national planning framework at regional and local levels through the regional spatial strategies. Consequently, it is important that people work hard on them and get them right. The preparation has begun in each of the three regions and that work will end in early 2019, to be followed by the various city and county plans. This is where policies and opportunities in regard to specific places can be fleshed out. In addition, the Action Plan for Rural Development, published on 23 January 2017, takes a whole-of-Government approach, led by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, to the economic and social development of rural Ireland and will act as an overarching structure for the co-ordination and implementation of rural initiatives across Departments and other public bodies. This will be underpinned by a new rural regeneration and development fund to be established under the Department of Rural and Community Development, which will invest an additional €1 billion in supporting rural renewal. That €1 billion is new money and it will be invested in rural Ireland.

There is now a whole-of-Government approach to the development of our country, our regions, our urban centres and our wider rural areas, rightly so. The Government believes the combination of the national planning framework and the national development plan represents a major opportunity for rural Ireland. I reiterate that if we stick to this plan and drive it and the regional plans, they can save rural Ireland. This is the best way to do it. It is wrong to say that only 12% of the jobs have been created. Over 70% of the jobs created in the past two years are outside of Dublin, and that is a fact. The rural action plans for jobs have worked, as have the regional plans. While the Deputy might not like to admit it, the data are there to back it up. We are committed to rural Ireland and will remain committed to it for the next 25 years through Ireland 2040. That is our job. The Government is planning long-term to save rural Ireland.

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