Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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49. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will report on the engagements he has had with the Western Development Commission; the role he envisages the commission playing in achieving more balanced regional development which is a key objective of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1292/18]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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55. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans for the development of the Western Development Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1217/18]

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Will the Minister of State report on the engagement he has had to date with the Western Development Commission? Will he outline the role he envisages the commission playing in achieving more balanced regional development which is a key objective of his Department and make a statement on the matter.

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 55 together.

The Western Development Commission, WDC, was established on a statutory basis in 1999 as part of a response to the severe population decline in the western region at the time. The remit of the commission is to promote the economic and social development of the western region, covering counties Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway and Clare. The commission has achieved a lot since its establishment and I believe has an important role to play in the Government’s emphasis on achieving more effective regional development through initiatives such as the regional action plan for jobs, the action plan for rural development and the forthcoming national planning framework.

The Minister, Deputy Michael Ring, appointed a new board to the Western Development Commission in August 2017 and has delegated responsibility for oversight of the commission to me. I met the new chair and the acting CEO in November 2017. There is also ongoing engagement between my Department and the commission at executive level to deepen its involvement in the regional development agenda and benefit from its members' experience. In that context, the commission has been involved in an increasing number of initiatives. For example, it is represented on the monitoring committee for the action plan for rural development and the implementing committees that oversee the delivery of the action plans for jobs for the west and north-west regions. It is also represented on the task force that I chair to progress the development of an Atlantic economic corridor area along the western seaboard. It has been a key contributor to the sub-groups of the task force and also within the former Department on the Brexit process.

The WDC continues to implement initiatives to support the development of SMEs and emerging sectors in the western region. I recently launched a new €2 million fund for the commission to encourage the film, television, animation and games industry in the west, namely, the western regional audiovisual producers, WRAP, fund. I look forward to continuing to work with the new board as it seeks to support the regional development agenda.

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy Michael Ring, for their support for the constituency of Sligo-Leitrim and south Donegal since taking up their new positions and in the time before it also. The Minister of State will be aware that the new Ireland 2040 national planning framework is a key policy initiative whereby, as a Government party, we can start to attempt to address the long-standing effects of a regional imbalance. It is an area in which the Western Development Commission also has a key role to play. The most disappointing element of the recently released draft version of the plan is the lack of a specific categorisation of or plan for the Sligo urban area to be developed into a regional growth centre for the north west. Historically the region has been neglected by consecutive Governments since independence. Will the Minister of State advise me of his position on such a plan? Has he spoken to the Western Development Commission about it?

Sligo and its environs form a major urban centre in the north-west region of the Republic of Ireland. It serves as many as 400,000 people in counties Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Donegal, Mayo, Cavan and Fermanagh, as the Minister of State correctly outlined. Sligo is the real driver of economic growth and job creation in the region. It has the capacity and ambition required. I am delighted to announce that 100 new jobs have today been announced by AbbVie in Sligo, with an investment of €113 million. There was another development this morning when the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport announced the allocation of €16 million for the western distributor road. As we know, €100 million has been earmarked for the N4 project in the next few years, with €20 million for being allocated for the eastern Garavogue bridge. These are the benefits that I am and have been highlighting for many years. They are vitally important for us in Sligo and the constituency. As the Minister of State has been very supportive, perhaps he might like to make a comment.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I thank the Deputy for that good news.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Has the Minister of State met the executives and-or the board of the Western Development Commission? Did they set out for him what they believed they would need in terms of resources, both of personnel and finances, to enable the commission to reach its potential? In respect of the WDC investment fund to invest in business and community development initiatives, can the Minister of State tell me how much money it has available this year to be spread over the five counties of Connacht, as well as counties Donegal and Clare?

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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The Western Development Commission has made various submissions on the deficiencies in infrastructure in the west. In particular, it has prepared an analysis, for example, to show where the agriculture industry is going in the west. There has been a dramatic drop of 41% in the number employed in the region in the past 20 years. That is a startling finding. The commission has prepared other reports on the merits of providing infrastructure to link areas in the west, including through the western rail corridor.

Does the Minister of State support the Western Development Commission? I refer to the national planning framework, which should embed the Atlantic economic corridor and all that goes along with it, including the western rail corridor. There is a missing link between Claremorris and Athenry which should be considered. I would like to hear the thoughts of the Minister of State.

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the three Deputies for their questions. I congratulate Deputy McLoughlin on all the good news for the Sligo area. As he knows, I have been a strong advocate of the prioritisation and categorisation of Sligo as a driving force for the north west in draft plans which have been published. Clearly, it is lacking and it is important that Sligo is designated as a growth centre. Other areas grow organically, whether in the Dublin area or midlands, because of their location. Sligo needs an incentive, and I am a strong supporter of that. I have written to the Taoiseach to strongly advocate that.

In response to Deputy Ó Cuív, I have not met the full board but I have met the chairman and CEO. The Minister, Deputy Ring, attended the inaugural meeting of the board. I plan to meet the board in 2018. It has made its views on funding and staffing quite clear to me - it needs more current funding. That was the message I received from the chairman and acting CEO. In 2018, €1.516 million in current funding will be allocated, which will be supplemented from its own resources.

I accept the recent census figures on population decline in the west of Ireland. It is partly due to emigration. The Government should be about improving linkages, in particular in the west of Ireland. I refer to the Atlantic economic corridor, which Deputy Canney has supported and was pushed by the chambers of commerce across the region, which I chair. The WDC is part of that task force. I have advocated that the western rail corridor should continue, and appear in the national planning framework and capital plan. It should be extended from Athenry towards Tuam and Claremorris. That is important. I know Deputy Canney is a strong advocate of that and I am also supportive of it.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I asked the Minister of State about the western investment fund. How much money does it have to invest this year from its resources and those of the Government in businesses in the west? That was one of the key roles of the Western Development Commission.

The Minister of State has obviously made strong representations on behalf of the western rail corridor extension to Claremorris. Has he received any reply from the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, the Taoiseach or Minister for Finance, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, in respect of that? It appears that the Minister of State asked for a lot, but I wonder whether they are listening to him.

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I have no firm commitment at this stage but, as I said, I have been in consultation with the Ministers to whom the Deputy referred and the Taoiseach. The former Minister of State, Deputy Canney, has also been in contact with the Taoiseach and Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, and will be again in the coming weeks. It is important there is support for this across the House. Deputy Ó Cuív has a role to play in terms of advocating on behalf of the capital plan. I know he has been a long-term supporter of the plan and had a role to play in his previous role as Minister.

I understand that to the end of 2014, €31.7 million of Exchequer funding was made available to the western investment fund. No Exchequer funding has been advanced since 2010 and the Western Development Commission currently uses the loan repayments on a revolving basis for new investments. I understand there is a sufficient return on capital investment to address future investment. I understand there are significant funds within the Western-----

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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How significant? Is it €2 million or €5 million?

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I understand it is closer to €20 million.