Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

First of all, I want to say that Deputy Tóibín should come down to Mayo tomorrow. We have a €300 million investment, which is the biggest single investment. The road between Westport and Castlebar will open tomorrow. Allergan, Baxter and Coca-Cola are all crying out for people for their workforces. I meet principals of schools from every corner of the county. All these areas are expanding. I disagree with Deputy Tóibín. The great line from the Opposition is always that the west has been left behind. There have never been as many people working and living in rural Ireland as there are now. It is time that we spoke up. The kind of stuff that has been done by the Department of the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, over the last number of years has been fantastic for towns and villages. The rural regeneration scheme is fantastic.

I want to ask the Minister a question. I compliment State agencies such as Údarás na Gaeltachta. When I was Minister, and the Minister has continued this, it set up the Gteic facilities, with jobs in counties Galway, Kerry, Waterford and Mayo. I am asking the Minister if she could talk to more State agencies and LEADER companies because some local authorities are not actually standing up to the plate. Projects and money are being allocated by the Minister's Department and these projects are not being delivered. It is not through the fault of the Minister or the Department but because some of these people are not doing their jobs. I ask the Minister to look at other State agencies that could carry out some of these works and maybe allocate the funding through them rather than always to local authorities.

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