Hildegarde Naughton (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise some good news for the west, particularly rural Ireland. This week, the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, announced a €5.4 million increase in the national ambulance service's budget to help address service gaps in the area. Provision has been made for 50 paramedic posts in the west, some of which will be used to staff ambulance stations at Tuam and Mulranny and others of which will assist in the move from on-call to on-duty rostering. The Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, announced new arrangements to support rural schools, including some smaller schools in County Galway, via better teacher retention thresholds. Both announcements are positive news for rural Ireland. As our economy improves, it is imperative that serious consideration be given to the value of developing our rural communities.