Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will make my contribution and the Minister can reply to me in writing afterwards. I want to make a few points in the limited time we have.

I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate. I want to pick up on Deputy Calleary's point regarding the 5 km limit. For many urban dwellers, this limit does not impede them at all because they can do all of their business within a 5 km radius of their home. However, for people in rural communities, even the 20 km limit is problematic and for places like north Cork, we really need more flexibility. There must be a sense in the discussions that are held tomorrow and the announcements that will be made over the next while that we take the concerns of rural people into consideration in terms of what they and everyone else, both urban and rural dwellers, have endured in the context of the Covid-19 crisis over the last number of weeks.

There is an opportunity here. The Minister said in his opening statement that there has been a shift in values and there is no doubt about that. People are talking to other people and have met their neighbours more over the last while and there has been a shift in values. We should use the opportunity that is facing us now to make sure that we can renew and write a new chapter for rural Ireland. We have seen an increase in "smart working" over the last number of weeks. The term "remote working" is being used by many but Cork County Council is quite right to describe it as "smart working", with people working from home and taking advantage of connectivity, whether they are in rural or urban communities. People can have a choice as to where they work. We must refocus and use every policy instrument available to the Department of Rural and Community Development to repopulate rural Ireland. This can be very good for rural Ireland and society as a whole. We have seen the benefits right across the spectrum in the context of Covid-19 and how the disease is spread. As we move into the next phase, there can be an economic benefit from rural living. I appeal to the Minister and his Department not to lose this opportunity

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