Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom tacú leis an méid atá ráite ag an Seanadóir Landy. Fáiltíonn muid roimh an tuarascáil atá déanta faoi CEDRA, mar tá muid á chuardach le tamall fada.

I welcome the publication of the report by CEDRA, the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Ireland, but I am disappointed that it is quite general in its thrust. We had expected the report a number of months ago. I would have expected more concrete proposals as to how to deal with the issues affecting rural Ireland. There seems to be a great deal of hullabaloo about the publication of the report but very little detail and substance in its recommendations. I spoke to rural communities during Sinn Féin's consultation process about the cutbacks in post office services, the closure of Garda stations, the need for revitalisation of rural towns and villages, tackling the issue of emigration from rural areas, youth unemployment, cuts in the provision of health services, the decimation of the fishing and farming industries and the lack of infrastructure.

People came in their thousands yesterday to demonstrate in Molesworth Street about the wind farm issue. They believe the creation of wind farms is privately driven, without input from local communities. It is disappointing that the report does not deal with these issues. The report recommends that more research is needed on how Leader funding might be used. This issue has not been raised. Every rural community I visited was concerned about the changes in local government and how the local development companies will have their powers taken over by the county and city councils. We need an urgent debate after the Easter recess on the CEDRA report and its recommendations. If it is to have any impact in rural Ireland it needs to be amended and to be more specific. Resources need to be provided. All Ministers with a rural remit must be asked what they will do to revitalise rural Ireland and save it from the decline resulting from the economic disaster into which the previous Government led us. It is also the case that this Government is not doing enough for rural Ireland.