James Bannon (Fine Gael)

It goes without saying that any opportunity to discuss rural development or the lack of it must be welcomed. It would be impossible to consider rural development without giving due regard to the people who live and work in rural areas and giving priority to ensuring their economic and social well-being. That is what the guidelines do not do.

The guidelines do not consider the good of the people of rural Ireland, they are rather another attempt by the Government to manipulate the people in a pre-local and European election fanfare that is not worth the paper on which it is written.