Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. I also welcome the plan. All the Departments are feeding into the one plan and will be working together in terms of delivery. It will affect more than 600 towns and villages. I live in a city but there are many towns and villages bordering it. To me, this plan is about balanced regional development for anywhere outside Dublin and supporting sustainable communities. That is certainly my reading of it.

There were eight regional action plans for jobs.I was involved in the enterprise office for many years, now the LEOs. The LEOs have been successful. It is about working together and sharing ideas and resources with local businesses and the community. I welcome the emphasis on their role. There has been an increase in the creation of jobs by such enterprises.

It is about creating a positive environment and a message of positivity to the employers. By sending out a positive message, we encourage small businesses that are thinking of expanding to avail of the LEOs. The target to create 135,000 jobs outside of the Dublin region is to be commended. That will disperse jobs to the regions.

Reference was made to the Atlantic economic corridor. I was at the launch last week of the apprenticeship and traineeship programmes by the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Bruton. There will be 50,000 places on apprenticeship and traineeship programmes. This is very important but the programme has to be spread across the county. The education and training boards and SOLAS are working together on these programmes. There is a need for programmes for the tourism sector because of the shortage of skills in that industry.

There is an aspiration to create 23,000 jobs by 2025 in the agrifood sector. Those in the agrifood business are very concerned about the impact of Brexit. We will need to be vigilant about issues for the food sector.

I am aware that the Minister will set up a review group into which people will feed in information. Vacant properties is an issue in both rural towns and villages and urban areas. I am aware of a pilot scheme to encourage people to come back into the centre of towns. I think the local authorities need to buy into this plan. There are proposals for developments not too far from where I live and I know they have been having a problem in trying to get planning permission. I think the local authorities need to be more flexible.

I have focused on rural tourism since I came to the Seanad. The Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's Ancient East are mentioned in the programme but the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy O'Donovan, recently launched the Shannon Estuary Drive. I would like to see this touring route being included in the programme. There are areas not covered by Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's Ancient East and the Shannon Estuary Drive goes some way to address this.

I welcome the increased funding to address flood risk areas. A number of areas that have been hit very badly are still awaiting remedial works.

I welcome this initiative and I look forward to working with the Minister.