Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Absolutely. I hope and trust the projects she mentioned in Athenry and Portumna, as well as those in Loughrea and Tuam, are not half-baked and the figures are correct, inasmuch as they could have been at the time. It is a picture of a cost at a particular time. I welcome the fact that it is being recognised by the Department that costs rise. I compliment its staff for all the work they have done right through Covid in working with the local authorities. I also compliment the Minister's predecessor, my great friend and colleague, Deputy Ring, who initiated a significant number of these schemes when he was in the Department. It is great to see that the Department is still thriving in what it is doing for rural Ireland. I congratulate the Minister for getting increased funding for towns and villages via LEADER in the budget. That is a lifeline for rural areas.

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