Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

Local government services are the most important services in this country for the ordinary citizen. Such services need reform and proper funding. I look forward to the debate on the Green Paper but what I have seen so far does not augur well for real local government reform.

Some Senators mentioned rural isolation and services for the elderly. I have just conducted a series of meetings in rural County Waterford where I heard real concerns expressed that services in the rural areas of this country are in serious decline and isolation is increasing. Many of the traditional organisations, such as Muintir na Tíre, the ICA, the GAA and others, which have done Trojan work in the past, are suffering badly owing to a lack of volunteers.

One must ask what the Government is doing in this area. It is too simplistic to say the decline of the rural Irish pub is the cause of the problem. While it is certainly a contributing factor, it is not the whole story. The Government and we, as politicians, have a role to play in giving new energy to rural life. We must debate the issue in this House. Since the beginning of this Seanad term the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has not been in the House, which indicates the issue is not a priority for the Government.