Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will go back very quickly, starting with Deputy Stanton. A sum of €400,000 is being provided to every local authority. We have just kicked off this new scheme and naturally we will look at and keep it under review. To be fair, if a line is drawn from Dublin across to Galway, the greatest increase in jobs recently has been south of that line. A lot of employment is being created. Thank goodness we are almost at full employment, which is good news.

I take on board what Deputy Farrell said.

In response to Deputy Ó Murchú, the local authorities have been given the go-ahead to start the process of appointing town centre first officers. We will get the national implementation office up and running first and that recruitment process is under way. The recruitment of the TROs will follow on from that in the coming weeks. Local authorities have been cleared to start the process. They can get the ball rolling. We do not want to hold this up. We want to get them appointed because I want them liasing with the town first teams, the chambers of commerce and local communities. What we want here is joined-up thinking.

Deputy Burke spoke about the local authorities and the use of compulsory purchase orders-----

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