John Whelan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Leader to arrange at the earliest juncture for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to come to the Seanad before the budget to ensure that the expertise and business acumen represented in the House is put to good use to help salvage the main streets and urban centres of towns up and down the country. Main Street, Ireland, is on its knees. Businesses on main streets are closing down across the country on a weekly basis. I see it in my home town of Portlaoise, where Main Street is a pale shadow of what was once a vibrant business centre.

It is not just a simple matter affecting one or two towns, it is a national issue. We have a role to play and we can intervene. There are things we can do to support the revival and regeneration of urban centres and main streets. This is the year of The Gathering. Tourists do not come to Ireland to visit Tesco, Lidl or Aldi. They come to see the artisan businesses, the family shops and cafes up and down the country. However, now many of our main streets are left with little other than bars, bookies and burger joints. There are hollowed out centres and vacant and derelict sites. It is a scandal and a disgrace and we must intervene and support family-run businesses. We have the capacity to do so. There was an urban renewal scheme in the 1980s and something similar could now be used. It is not as simple as rates; other issues include tax incentives and planning. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government could come to the Chamber and we could put forward constructive, creative ideas that could be embedded in budget proposals before Main Street, Ireland disappears altogether.