Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish the Minister well in his new position. This is the first time I have had the chance to do so publicly. I accept that the process is ongoing. I know that the Minister and his colleague, the Minister for agriculture, will look at the financial supports and how they will be brought together. The Minister mentioned that the decision on where these veterinary schools will be located is important from a regional perspective. I hope due consideration will be given to the Mountbellew-Atlantic Technological University, ATU, application on the basis it will serve the north and west region which is a region in decline. We need to provide all of the infrastructure we can in order to try to being it up to being a region that is actually developing. I am making the case, blatantly, that we need to ensure one of these colleges is located in the west of Ireland in order that it might serve the north and the west. I hope that, ultimately, we will be in a position to celebrate in this regard. However, it is important that funding is provided and that the decision is made as quickly as possible in order to allow the colleges to put these programmes in place in order that people do not have to emigrate to Poland and other places in order to pursue their course.

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