Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)

We must address infrastructure. If there are dual carriageways and motorways throughout the country, there should be some in the west and north west. I appreciate the road to Galway has dual carriageways and motorways but the west about which I speak covers counties Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and Donegal.

Senator John Paul Phelan referred to expenditure on broadband infrastructure, of which there could be more. There is not enough broadband penetration in the regions and its roll-out has been slower than we would have wished.

With regard to funding to county enterprise boards, I was on the enterprise board in my county and these boards have provided great value for money in terms of investment. Much more could be done through the county enterprise boards. They provide great seed capital and have brought many welcome jobs to the region.

On the Order of Business I pointed out that last weekend in my area, a €150 million project was turned down by An Bord Pleanála over which I appreciate the Minister has no control. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government effectively scuppered the development in question. Finance may be available but if we cannot get goodwill from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in terms of providing this major tourism infrastructure, we are wasting our time.

I call for an investigation by the Department and ask that An Bord Pleanála take a sympathetic view to the social and economic needs of the area. I come from the town of Boyle which does not have a hotel with more than ten bedrooms. There is no hotel with over ten bedrooms, no conference centre or leisure centre, and no 18-hole golf course, yet An Bord Pleanála refused permission for three developments in the past week. One was for a hotel in the town, and another for a development worth €150 million for a hotel, including leisure centre, conference centre, 18-hole golf course and golf lodgings in Lough Key Forest Park. The third was a project across Lough Key. In total these projects were worth €300 million of private investment and were turned down.

I do not blame the Minister but some Departments are not sympathetic to rural areas which are crying out for infrastructural investment. I urge the Minister to do whatever possible to investigate this anomaly and ensure this will not happen again. This does not involve destroying the environment but achieving balance between investment and protection of the environment. Common sense is required in this area.

There is a cabal in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government which is out of control. Until this is dealt with we cannot introduce the necessary systems in these areas. If there are people in the Departments saying they will scupper certain investments we are wasting our time.

The rural renewal schemes are very welcome. Although they have expired I hope that in light of the loss of this €300 million investment the Minister would consider extending them in north Roscommon.