Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I attended a very interesting meeting in Drogheda on Monday to do with urban renewal. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation put forward a 14-point plan for urban renewal. Much can be done, particularly for the main streets of our small towns. The plan included a huge range of topics and would be worthy of discussion in this House as everybody here would have a view on it. Some towns in Ireland have so many empty shops. In Athlone over 21% of the shops are vacant and yet there are plans to do something. Today, the Government announced that very shortly, it is going to unveil an urban renewal plan of something like €80 million to do something about the main streets of our towns. The debate does not have to be this week and we could wait until the Government has made the announcement. There are things that can be done that do not cost a lot money but cost the effort, enthusiasm and commitment of traders.

May I also ask that we find time soon to debate the new trade agreement between the European Union and the United States? Although it seems to me to be a huge opportunity, we are already beginning to hear the concerns of those who feel they are going to lose out on it. We should be debating this before final decisions are made.