Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment, and the Minister for coming to the House. This issue concerns the Arigna Catchment Area Community Company, to which the Minister has been very helpful. The Minister is aware that this company deals with all the electoral areas in County Leitrim and north Roscommon — Boyle, Castlerea, Ballaghaderreen and Strokestown. Of this area, 90% has been designated a CLÁR area.

The area of Leitrim and north Roscommon has long been associated with both population decline and rural decline. The Arigna Catchment Area Community Company has gone a long way towards addressing this problem in a collective and planned way. The company is certainly having an impact on the area and in terms of creating jobs. Leitrim and Roscommon are the only counties in Ireland where deaths exceed births. Three quarters of the total catchment area is rural, with only four towns having a population of over 1,000.

The Arigna Catchment Area Community Company has a proven record. I understand, based on statistics from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, that it is among the top three Leader programmes in the country. However, I am worried about the call to abolish the Arigna Leader programme and reorganise the programme on a countywide basis.

The Arigna Catchment Area Community Company is a unique Leader programme. People in north Roscommon do not simply deal with the entire county. They shop in Carrick-on-Shannon, Sligo or towns in Leitrim. They have worked very closely in a joint tourism initiative between north Roscommon and Leitrim. A new structure should be developed which can collectively address the shared problems of Leitrim and north Roscommon. It is about people and delivering maximum resources and the Arigna Leader programme has proved it can do this.

The area's dependence on the building industry is worrying. A considerable amount of construction is taking place as part of the upper Shannon renewal process. I am concerned that this work will come to a halt and that there will be no cohesive body in place to deal with the problems caused by a decline in the building trade. Many farmers have moved into the building trade and the same grouping will not be present.

I can understand the Minister's perspective but if the Arigna Leader programme is joined with the rest of the county, it could result in the programme losing out on cross-Border funding. For the past 15 years, people in north Roscommon witnessed other counties availing of the International Fund for Ireland while north Roscommon was unable to avail of it. The area is now receiving funding for some projects through the Arigna Leader programme and people are very satisfied with this situation.

If people think the Leader programme should be reorganised on a countywide basis, it could be argued that all existing agencies should be disbanded and reorganised similarly. Attempts are being made to introduce decentralisation, both from Dublin to the regions and from county towns to regions where programme delivery is needed. Arigna is nearly 40 miles from Roscommon. I am not saying that the Leader programme will be based in Roscommon but we must examine decentralisation on a county basis. This is a vital argument to ensure the future of the Arigna Leader programme in north Roscommon and Leitrim.