Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is a tragedy that when the Minister's Department was established, it was given so few functions. Some 99% or 99.5% of the functions and spend in rural Ireland do not come within the Department's remit; therefore, despite the Minister's best efforts, his effect on the well-being of rural Ireland is, by definition, limited. Has he asked for more powers and functions? There are functions in other Departments which should rightly have been transferred to the Minister's Department.

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