Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I hope the review process can be expedited. I know from speaking to my colleague, Deputy Ó Cuív, the architect of the original CLÁR programme, that population decline was the main measurement in identifying areas at that time. It was always his opinion, and that of others involved in drafting the programme, that as the programme developed and brought investment to areas, other criteria should also be factored into the assessment of areas under consideration for inclusion.

The Minister will be aware that, thankfully, there has been population growth in our constituency, particularly in County Cavan, continuously since the early 1990s, and in Monaghan. There has also been great growth in employment as well as population. We suffered a decline in our population for far too many decades and, thankfully, we now have the reverse.

Along with population growth, there are also additional pressures on local amenities and social infrastructure. Both the Minister and I have received representation from different communities and are aware that where a school, such as a small rural primary school, has developed and the population has grown, there in an increase in demand for services. Such schools cannot avail of assistance towards the development of a playground etc. In areas where there has been a welcome growth in population, there should still be other criteria attached to the assessment of areas under consideration for inclusion in CLÁR.

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