Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghlacadh leis na Seanadóirí Buttimer, Ó Murchú, Quinn, Mullen, Ó Domhnaill, Hannigan agus Glynn, a labhair sa díospóireacht seo. Is spreagadh é dom go bhfuil an oiread sin spéise ag Seanadóirí san ábhar seo. Gabhaim comhghairdeas leis na Seanadóirí ar fad a úsáid an Ghaeilge i rith na díospóireachta. Is dóigh liom go bhfuil sé sin thar a bheith sláintiúil. Go minic, is díospóireachtaí mar gheall ar an nGaeilge amháin a tharraingíonn óráidí as Gaeilge sa Teach seo. I thank the Senators who contributed to this debate. I wish to address briefly some of the issues that arose.

I remind Senators that 55% of the funding for this programme comes from the EU. The programme represents a European notion that rural communities have value beyond agriculture. As Senator Glynn noted, our planning process must be compatible with rural development. In January, I met county managers to tell them it would be strange if we could not get planning for rural developments, such as farm diversification and small industrial projects, which are funded by this €425 million rural development programme. The national broadband scheme is to be rolled out to the areas of the country which do not at present have broadband.

In regard to the issue raised by Senator Buttimer on matching funds, I am slightly puzzled as to why it wound up as it did. I am addressing the issue as speedily as I can but must follow a specific procedure. I intend to provide matching funding for local authorities. In terms of community development, non-commercial projects can receive up to 75% funding but communities must put their money where their mouths are by coming up with the remaining25%. In respect of Leader funding, unlike the last round which had a cap of €100,000, projects can now receive up to €500,000. That does not mean a project which includes a crèche and a community development aspect will not be approved separately.

I announced the level of funding for the programme on Tuesday but by Wednesday concerns were expressed that we would run out of money next year. We should not speak about running out of money until it is spent because €27 million has been put aside for next year. One of the reasons I did not provide more funding for next year is that my experience of sanctioning funds, which is not always finalised by 1 January because the contracts and applications have to be prepared, is that people can be very slow in finishing their programmes and drawing down the money. I hope the irony is not lost on the rural community as it bangs down the doors to seek an extension of the farm waste management scheme. It seems that three or four years is not enough time to spend the money sanctioned for that scheme. Leader companies are already claiming that I have not provided sufficient money for next year. We will see who is right. I am saying to the Leader companies to get out there and spend it. There will be plenty of money in 2009 and 2010. The whole €425 million will be provided.

I want to close taking receipts for payment at the end of November. That gives us one month to pay people. It is not acceptable to submit a bill on 20 December and expect to be paid on 25 December with no inspection. There will be 11 months to draw down €27 million. At the end of next year I will be shaking the bushes trying to find legitimate payments to make. We will see who is wrong. I urge the Leader companies to spend what they have and stop worrying until they have it spent.

I do not agree with the idea of Senator Buttimer that the scheme should go under the control of the councils. These new, integrated companies, with a wide representation of community interests, social partners, local authorities and statutory agencies, must be removed from the purely statutory domain so that they have the flexibility they need. It is wrong to see them as only delivering Leader. They deliver the rural social scheme. Do we suggest that this should be delivered by county councils? This would not have worked if it had been done this way. Should the rural recreation office or the rural walkway scheme have been delivered by county councils? If we had done it that way, more bureaucracy would have been involved. I refer also to the local development social inclusion programme.

I have cut the number of bodies from more than 100 to 55 but if local authorities could get on with tarring the roads well and providing water, sewerage, planning and housing well, they would have a great day's work done. They should do this rather than taking on the world. Perhaps I am wrong on this point.

People refer to post offices and sometimes they refer to a world that is gone. We are trying to create a world at the moment. I accept that Senator Buttimer and half of his party is with the Government on decentralisation. The one means to bring jobs to rural Ireland that is within the Government's gift is decentralisation. In fairness to Deputies Kenny, Ring and O'Mahony, they are always asking when the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs will be transferred to Charlestown, and rightly so.