Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yes. I also compliment our colleague, Senator Ó Murchú, who was one of the speakers yesterday and who made a strident and passionate appeal, as he has shown himself to be capable of doing on so many other occasions. The appeal was to the Government and, in particular, to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to make a decision on the future of the county development boards. It now appears as though a grab-all situation is under way on the part of local authorities and, in particular, by the executives of local authorities, which is in direct contrast to the wishes of the members of the authorities to the extent that in recent days, a number of councils that wished to nominate councillors to the county development boards have been prevented from so doing for all sorts of what I suggest are vacuous legal reasons that have been put forward. This happened in my own county, where the county council has deferred the nomination of three members because it was told there could be a legal challenge. However, I discovered yesterday that the councillors in County Clare, of all parties and none, in their wisdom overruled that particular executive call, went ahead and made nominations. This also happened in County Donegal.

My point to the Leader is this is a vital cog in the life of rural Ireland. The people who attended yesterday's rally were not solely those who are concerned about their jobs, although obviously there were people who are working. In my native town of Drumshanbo, where the Leitrim county development board operates, approximately 40 people are employed either full-time or part-time. Can Members imagine the impact it will have on that community of approximately 900 souls were 40 jobs to be lost overnight? The uncertainty surrounding this matter is completely unacceptable. I call on the Leader to convey to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the absolute urgency of ensuring that a decision is taken as to what will be the future for the county development boards. They accept that, sadly, there will be some job losses. However, neither they nor my party can come to terms with the reason for breaking this model. If it ain't broken, why fix it?

It has been proven and was stated repeatedly on the platform yesterday that the Irish Leader model is the best in Europe and that other European countries have taken a leaf out of the Irish model. I fail to understand why the Government is trying to dismantle what has been a hugely successful project over the past 15 to 20 years, which has sustained rural Ireland, has created jobs there and which has given hope to those who have been without work, right across the entire spectrum of economic activity. Consequently, as a matter of urgency, I call on the Leader to convey to the Minister the urgency of ensuring a decision is taken in this regard. I will go so far as to table an amendment to the Order of Business calling on the Minister for the Environment, Community and Looking Government to come before this House on this very day. While it may be his last day, perhaps he will go out with a flourish and will come before the Seanad to give some hope and reassurance to the people of rural Ireland. Sadly, I must state the Government has gone completely in the opposite direction and has been the most anti-rural Government that has ever been elected to office in Ireland.