Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While I support Senator MacSharry's call for a debate on rural Ireland, I take serious issue with his criticism of the Government, especially considering the unholy mess it inherited, the lack of funding available to it on taking office and the fact that during all of the years of the boom, very little was done to improve life in rural Ireland. I welcome the fact that funding of €30 million was announced last week. While I accept that it is not enough, it is a start, and will assist many worthwhile projects in rural Ireland. The five-year capital programme announced yesterday will have an impact on the rural parts of our country. Many roads, schools and Garda stations will benefit from funding under the programme.

I would point out to Senator MacSharry that rural Ireland is fighting back and that many organisations and community groups around the country are putting plans together to revitalise their areas. They are trying to develop local festivals to make their areas attractive to visitors, for example. There is a lot of very positive work going on. The Government has a duty to support those communities and is doing so. The Government is investing, for example, in town enhancement schemes, and I see that in my own town of Ballinasloe, where Irish Water is making a major investment in the water and sewage systems, to be followed by an overall town enhancement plan.

I also welcome the announcement yesterday by the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Ann Phelan, that €3.7 million will be made available for rural economic development zone pilot projects. Places like Ballinasloe, Gort, Tuam, Carraroe, Glenamaddy and Oranmore will benefit from such projects, which represent a start in getting positive things happening in rural Ireland. I accept that there are many challenges for rural Ireland. We want to see more jobs in rural Ireland and would like to see IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland focus much more on decentralisation to Ireland's rural towns, thus spreading the benefits of the economic recovery more widely.

I heard on the news this morning that we are projected to have growth of 6% this year and 4.5% next year. That will have a knock-on effect in rural Ireland. I am very encouraged, having heard from several small builders and tradesmen that in the last six months they have seen a significant increase in activity. The fight back has started and things are moving in the right direction. It is up to the Government to ensure that the effects of the economic improvement are felt in all regions, particularly in the small towns and villages of rural Ireland.