Maura Hopkins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the Seanad and thank her for giving of her time to discuss the recent launch of the action plan for rural development. Those of us who live in rural areas, including the Minister, know of their potential as really good places in which to live, work, visit and raise families. Despite the challenges faced in rural Ireland, there is also exceptional pride, as well as real community spirit. I know this because I live in rural Roscommon.

Pat Spillane has been mentioned as having been heavily involved in the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas, CEDRA. Another person who was also heavily involved was Cathal O'Donoghue, a former advisor in Teagasc. His words are important in roadmapping and ensuring rural communities will be very much to the fore. He stated, "Rural Ireland is tough and resilient, but we also need support." The action plan for rural development is focused on trying to create that roadmap. It is focused on co-ordination between various Departments and ensuring they will be held to account in delivering real results for rural areas. It is critically important that the plan not just be a plan but that it deliver real results and that each Department be held to account.

As a young Senator from the west, the single biggest issue facing us is the need to create better job opportunities. The Minister has talked about the creative sector, as has Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell. One initiative on which I would like to focus and which is happening is the creative project Creative Communities Igniting Change which commenced in early January, as part of which 16 people have commenced training in a hub in Ballaghadereen. They are involved in the creative sector, be it in the arts, technology or advertising. They are learning and upskilling to try to turn their creative ideas and experiences into a business. This is a very good example of agencies working together. Roscommon Leader Partnership is leading on it, but we also the local enterprise offices, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, GMIT, and the local community very much involved in supporting the people in question in trying to turn their creative ideas into a business. We need to see more of this and the 16 people having the confidence, skills and capabilities following the training programme to do it. They will need enhanced and increased support, but this is a good example of where we are trying to support people involved in the creative sector.

We also know that when the Western Development Commission carried out a huge amount of research in 2009, it found that the creative sector was very much underdeveloped. It has the potential to be labour-intensive and very important to the west. Similarly, in the rural economic development, RED, zone, funding was allocated by the Minister's Department for the creation of a food hub, An Chistin, in Castlerea. It is in its infancy, but it is also very important in the delivery of the plan to ensure we will see people upskilling and having the confidence to turn their expertise and abilities into successful businesses.

The Minister and others have rightly mentioned the need for broadband which, without doubt, is the most important priority in improving infrastructure in rural areas. There is a need for real action in this regard, but I know that the Minister is working very hard to ensure there will be broadband officers within every council. However, we need to see delivery and young people having the confidence to return to rural areas and see them, as I do, as great places in which to live, work and raise families.

The need to continue to improve road infrastructure has been mentioned. As I have done on many occasions, I point to the need to ensure we upgrade the M5, the major route to the west, between Scramogue and Ballaghadereen. There is an urgent need to deliver that project because if we want to remain competitive, we need to ensure business people will be able to travel short distances. We must also ensure we will reduce travel times.

In terms of what has been done, a sum of €10 million has been allocated under the town and village renewal scheme. We received CLÁR funding last year. We have also had the rural recreation scheme. Being very much involved within my local community and across County Roscommon, the sense that people want to be involved to make their communities better is very evident. Having been involved in coming up with ideas and suggestions for how the funding available under the town and village renewal scheme could be used, I know that the initiative has been very positive. Local people want to work together to see communities improving. To that end, obviously we need increased resources and funding. This year the amount available will be increased to €12 million, which is very positive as we need to support the weakest areas. I come from north Roscommon which was hit very severely by the impact of the recession. It was impacted on by the fact that the economy had been based on the construction industry. We have seen huge outward migration. There are boarded up buildings and town centres have lost their sense of vibrancy and life. We need to become active to ensure we will support the towns and villages which are weakest and in need of enhanced support. That must be a priority.

I will certainly be working closely with the Minister to ensure the action plan for rural development will work and that we will deliver real results for those living in rural areas.Our focus on our investment and energy needs to be directed towards the weakest towns and villages first. I ask that resources for any pilot schemes which encourage people to return, renovate or invest are targeted at those towns and villages which are really struggling. We can be quite tempted to support rural towns and villages which are doing quite well but we need to actively ensure we support rural areas in greatest need. This is in conjunction with the Department and local authorities throughout the country.