Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the feedback the Minister has given me relating to family resource centres but I did spend two minutes specifically raising an issue concerning the deputation last week. I would appreciate if in her reply, the Minister could update me about her thoughts on that. She mentioned the criteria used in the assessment of applications such as the size and make up of the geographical area. Longford is a very big provincial town so one would imagine it scored well there. Another criterion includes the social and economic conditions of the area. As I said previously, according to the Pobal deprivation index, despite all the stringent improvements that have been made in County Longford over the past number of years, there are still areas that are identified as disadvantaged with only Donegal and Limerick city performing marginally worse so, again, one would imagine that Longford would score quite well. Another criterion about which the Minister spoke is the organisation's current relationships with other stakeholders. As I said, it was a comprehensive submission. There were multiple stakeholders including the council, Longford Community Resources Limited, Longford Women's Link, Barnardos and the Attic Youth Café. A whole spectrum of people in County Longford were being served so I am at a loss to understand why it was not in the original 11. We will go through this further. I might come back by way of further parliamentary questions.

Could the Minister relay to me on the floor of the Dáil her commitment to review in a very positive manner the application to provide child care services for McKeon Park because the State has already invested heavily in the regeneration of McKeon Park? It is an area that badly and urgently needs it because there is no further capacity in the early years setting across all of County Longford and this area is being deprived. By depriving this area, we are not giving the children of this area the adequate start in life they deserve. Whether or not someone gets a good start in life should not be based on their geographical area and I know the Minister accepts that. I would welcome it if the Minister gave positive support on the floor of the House that this will be reviewed urgently and positively and that the people of Longford can look forward to a facility there in the not too distant future.

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