Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is what we are trying to do. It is about having rural regeneration. The Government is very focused on this and taking the lead will be the Ministers, Deputies Heather Humphreys and Simon Coveney, along with the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ring and myself. There is a chance that in an effort to solve some of the housing situation with the housing budget we can fund rural regeneration. It makes sense that if people want to relocate that we would facilitate it at the very least.

Jim Connolly understands the necessity of rural regeneration, which includes housing. I chair an urban renewal working group, which includes small villages and towns, and we are examining a range of plans to breathe some life back into rural areas which have suffered decline not only for the past seven or eight years but perhaps for 20 or 30 years. If we look at the Westport example, where over 20 years there was investment of more than €180 million in a logical and planned way, we can see the difference it has made in those 20 years. We need the same type of plans for other rural areas and villages throughout the country. This is what we are trying to do through the Department, the working group I chair, and the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, to drive the action plan. We are working with the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ring, and other Departments to address this and put in place long-term sustainable plans to rebuild rural areas. I am very familiar with many towns and villages throughout the country which, over 20 or 30 years, have suffered decline. We need to have a plan to bring them back, which means having an economic plan and a vision.The first question often concerns the economic future, the best way to create jobs and how to give people a reason to live in an area. That is key. We are very clear. The housing budget comprises €5.5 billion of taxpayers' money over the next three or four years. We can use that funding quite cleverly to solve many problems, including the housing problem, and help rural Ireland. That is what we will try to do.