Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and appreciate what he has just said. It does strike me, though, with respect, that if there is to be a regeneration of rural areas, then the Minister needs to drive it a little bit more from a rural perspective. If these regional enterprise frameworks are being developed in conjunction with the agencies, it would be useful to give them targets for rural areas. I do not think it will happen unless that is done. We know it is not easy but unless that happens, we will see a continual sucking of people from rural areas into the urban centres. That will have a snowball effect on rural shops, schools and so forth. Therefore, from an industrial development perspective, it would be very useful if the Minister considered the possibility of regional targets for rural areas. The Department must focus on what can be done to create employment in rural Ireland.