Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I start on a positive note with the unveiling yesterday of the action plan for rural development. I also fully support Senator Grace O'Sullivan's comments on the German Sparkassen and the banking system. I hope Senators will attend a briefing in the audiovisual room next Wednesday by a group that is trying to develop a public banking service. Notwithstanding my positive comment on the rural action plan, my difficulty is that it contains 276 actions. In my experience in politics, no document with such a large number of actions has ever been followed through. The €60 million allocated over three years for 600 towns nationwide equates to €30,000 per town per annum. Based on an interview given by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Heather Humphreys, this will mean that every year one shop would be converted into a house and two public lights erected in each of the 600 towns. That is not redevelopment and revitalisation of rural Ireland.

The proposed revaluation of rates in nine counties and the exclusion of the other 17 beggars belief. I do not see how this proposal will be workable. I am also concerned about the proposal to convert shops into homes because it is intended that this measure will bypass the planning system, which means bypassing local democracy and local government. This is a no-no and an insult to elected councillors.

The proposals to improve councillors' terms and conditions of employment are also an insult. An increase in pay of €20 per week for people who work up to 50 hours per week does not amount to an improvement in terms and conditions. Furthermore, the exclusion of 250 councillors in the greater Dublin area, Galway and Cork from access to this paltry increase also beggars belief. Senator Jennifer Murnane O'Connor called on the Minister to come to the House to discuss this issue. I understand from the circular issued yesterday that the proposed changes will not take effect until 1 July. Therefore, we have time to review the proposals made and I ask the Minister to come to the House to discuss them.

Much has been made of the improvement in rural broadband services. If one casts a cold eye over the figures, they show that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in the previous Government, Deputy Brendan Howlin, allocated €200 million for rural broadband provision, a single programme, yet rural areas are supposed to be revitalised with a sum of €60 million. The Fianna Fáil Party has been very good on the confidence and supply agreement, but there is no confidence or supply in the document on rural Ireland. It is time Fianna Fáil stood up and supported rural people on this specific issue.