Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on this important issue which is close to my heart. I wish the Minister, Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív, well on his re-appointment. He is a former Member of this House, having served here with me from 1989 to 1993. I acknowledge his tremendous work on behalf of rural communities. We hear much about the disadvantages of living in rural areas, and there are some, but there are many advantages which should be highlighted and promoted.

I thank the Minister for the rural transport initiative, which has been a huge success. The Bantry rural transport scheme was one of the pilot schemes and it now covers all of west Cork, serving places such as Bere, Sherkin and Cape Clear islands and the Sheep's Head, Mizen and Beara peninsulas. It has expanded to cover the Borlin valley and other remote areas. It is a huge success and people should acknowledge it. The night service, which is now being operated as a pilot scheme, might help to sustain life in rural villages by keeping rural pubs open and taking people to bingo halls, GAA meetings and so forth. It is wonderful and I take my hat off to the Minister for it.

Other successful initiatives in my constituency include the caring peninsulas project, a wonderful scheme whereby people check on others living in remote areas. This wonderful project should be funded on a multi-annual basis. There is also the provision of community crèches in rural areas. The west Cork community partnership, now amalgamated with Leader, supported initiatives to help small farmers and to offer people advice on fishing and so forth. Cork South-West has suffered as a result of the fisheries legislation. Fishing is under severe threat from rising fuel costs and declining fish stocks so it is important we examine other ways of helping people in rural communities.

We should not throw in the towel. I grew up in an area where the herring fishing declined for different reasons. There was hake fishing in Bantry Bay. Time moves on, however, and unfortunately we cannot make fish more plentiful. One initiative the Minister might examine closely for these rural areas, and it could equally apply to Connemara and parts of Donegal and Kerry, is fish farming. Mussel farming is very successful in parts of west Cork and people are considering farming oysters, clams and scallops. One of the biggest abalone farms in Europe, an initiative supported by the Minister's Department, has been opened on the Beara peninsula. I wish the operators well. There is an unlimited market for abalone in Japan and it is hoped the farm will create many jobs. Bantry Bay has the largest mussel factory in Europe which provides approximately 120 jobs. It is under some threat but I hope it will be sustained. There should be a more hands-on approach to salmon ranching. The Minister supported me in my endeavours to support the salmon farmers over recent years. There is also the option of wild salmon farming which has been carried out successfully in Canada and other places.

The one-off rural housing issue is close to my heart. It should be re-examined. The Department's CLÁR programme seeks to prevent the decline of rural areas by encouraging people to live in those areas and providing sustainable employment and local services, such as small sewerage and water schemes. I compliment the Minister on the programme. Many little villages and towns in my constituency have secured money through CLÁR to provide and extend water and sewerage services in remote areas. A huge sum of money has also been spent on boreens. There have been huge improvements in the past ten years as a result of the Department co-funding schemes with the local authorities. Long may such schemes last.

I am not sure what can be done about one-off rural housing. I spoke passionately on the issue on the RTE programme "Questions And Answers" some years ago. An Taisce should have no role in objecting to one-off rural housing. It should concentrate on its role in protecting special buildings. The organisation has a role to play in society but it should not get involved in one-off rural housing. I recall fighting for two or three planning permissions for local people in Rosnacaheragh. There are 13 children and two teachers in the local school. However, there are far more holiday homes in the area than homes for local people. Eventually, I persuaded the then manager of the council to come out to visit the area and the planning permissions were granted. The school is now beginning to revive with new life.

After the general election last year, in which I lost my Dáil seat, I visited the islands of Mull and Iona and the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The Isle of Skye was a typical case of rural decline where the population on the island declined. However, initiatives were put in place to encourage fish farming and environmentally friendly developments on the island. As a result, the population started to grow again.

The Minister referred to the issue of rural life and where people should live. A socioeconomic survey was carried out four or five years ago which compared the Beara peninsula in west Cork with Ballymun in Dublin. Lest anybody think everything in rural areas is rosy, there are disadvantages. The Beara peninsula is remote from many areas. However, the survey showed that 70% of children reared on the Beara peninsula received third level education while in Ballymun, and I do not condemn Ballymun for its problems, only 7% of children reached third level. I am the youngest of a family of 11. When I was growing up we had no electricity and lived 13 miles from the nearest town. We survived on a little fishing and farming. Things have changed but we were as happy as pigs in muck. There is another word for it but I will not use it. There are some great advantages to living in rural areas.

The Minister has done phenomenal work in the past 11 years in the Department. I welcome the €450 million that is due to be spent under the new Leader programme and other initiatives. Long may that continue. The Minister is to be complimented on his work. Rural areas would be at a greater loss if the Minister had not held office for the past decade.