James Bannon (Fine Gael)

Any opportunity for the House to discuss rural development or the lack of it is to be welcomed. It would be impossible to consider rural development without giving due regard to those who live and work in rural areas and ensuring that their interests and well-being are looked after. Given that every aspect of rural development is at the mercy of the Government, which offers incentives with the one hand but removes them with the other, what does the future hold?

Senator Glynn outlined a large number of services that have been cut or dismantled in the midlands region, which is indicative of the Government's failure to address the problems of rural development. In my County Longford, ten group water schemes have been approved, some for the past three years, yet the Government has failed to provide funding to get them off the ground. Half a dozen applications for group sewerage schemes for smaller villages in the county have been with the Department of the Environment and Local Government for a number of years awaiting approval. The Government is failing to deal with this. There have also been cutbacks in the local improvement schemes, which are beneficial to rural areas, especially to those in the farming community or who are living at the end of laneways.