Joe O'Toole (Independent)

It is appropriate that we should be aware of what is happening in Europe at the conclusion of the debate on the farm talks which will have a huge impact on this country. We should look for a full report on the issue in this House and try to make the debate a little better than the last one by considering the future for Irish farmers and farming. It appears they are being squeezed in the middle, which affects parts of rural Ireland and all that is happening there. We, as a country, are ignoring what is happening in rural areas. I referred previously to the reduction in infrastructure and I am not just talking about main roads from one main urban centre to another. The fact is that one can now draw up a long list of towns, including Kilrush, Tuam, Ballinrobe and Kilbeggan, which do not even have a hotel anymore. We have had discussions here about what is happening in terms of schools being closed down in certain areas. There is a lack of decentralisation and rail infrastructure. There was a discussion recently about the Athenry connection on the Sligo-Limerick line.

One of the problems in this House is that Members are focusing too much on their own constituencies – I am not saying this in a critical way – and not looking at the broad picture, which is that rural Ireland is being slowed down and the lights are being turned out slowly. There should be a more committed Government position on the issue of decentralisation and development, a matter raised by Senator MacSharry yesterday and by Senator Feighan. I would like to have a full debate on the issue where Members would give their views, make proposals and get a positive response from the Government.