Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Acting Chairman. I did not expect to be speak so soon. I welcome the Minister to the House. The document entitled, Realising our Rural Potential - Action Plan for Rural Development, is terrific. I do not know when we first thought that Ireland ended at the Red Cow roundabout. When did that happen? It is great that this plan has come together and has brought so many Departments together.

I have always known, because I was born in rural Ireland, that we were a rural country. The media tend to forget that Ireland is a rural country. They tend to sink most of the ideas in the cities and not in rural Ireland. It is a great advantage that the Minister hails from rural Ireland because she can link in what is great and good about rural Ireland.

The Minister knows I believe the arts should have a separate and independent Department. I also believe the arts should be an independent subject on the school curriculum. Unfortunately, the arts are highly integrated into the school curriculum. The Minister is a great one to have at the helm of positioning the arts in the middle of rural Ireland and make its population the conduit of bringing the arts alive. One of the reasons I say so, although not one person in the Seanad is listening to me, is because rural Ireland made The Gathering a success. I show respect to other Senators by listening to them and I take umbrage at the fact Senators come in here to do other work while a person is talking.