Most of the areas to which this scheme applies have suffered severe population drain over the last 70 to 80 years. Statistics recently produced under the CLÁR programme point to many of the areas in the rural renewal scheme having lost up to 55% of their population from 1926 to 2002. To say that the scheme is promoting unsustainable patterns of rural development is unsupportable. If we look at sustainability in its most understandable form, we should look at the use being made of existing infrastructure such as schools, churches, shops, post offices, community halls, health services and so on, and ensure that there are sufficient people living in any community and making full, cost-effective use of services already there and paid for by the taxpayer. To take this on to the sporting field, many parishes in the rural renewal scheme areas would not be able to muster sufficient bodies to field a football team. We know that in certain areas of County Cavan.