Maura Hopkins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I did not interrupt the Senator. As I said at the outset, I want to be constructive. Senator Daly spoke about rural crime. I am sure he understands that the last time his party was in government, it closed the Garda College in Templemore. How was it possible to have new Garda recruits entering the system? It was not possible. I was in Castlerea with the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, last week. Five new recruits have been allocated to that district, which is benefiting from enhanced policing resources. I was in Ballinameen last Sunday. The former Department of the Minister, Deputy Ring, has provided support of €50,000 to the community so that the local GAA club can build new dressing rooms. That GAA club has challenges, but it is not dying.

We are looking forward to the forthcoming visit of the Minister, Deputy Ring, to Kilteevan. Money was allocated to that community under the CLÁR programme, which was mentioned by Senator Daly, for a community space and playground area, which is to be opened by the Minister next week. These are real examples. I love living in a rural area even though there are problems. If our attitude is that we cannot try to solve such problems, that is not a good starting point.

I want to make some points about the challenges that are being faced in rural areas. As the Minister will be aware, this goes back to economic circumstance as well. The Ballaghaderreen bypass was approved during the most difficult economic circumstances. The N5 needs to be expanded to ensure villages like Frenchpark, Tulsk and Bellanagare are served by an excellent road infrastructure, thereby facilitating enhanced economic development in such areas. The local improvement schemes, which have been reintroduced by the Minister, are very important in rural areas. Many people and communities have benefited from funding under these schemes.

Access to high-speed broadband in rural areas is a key issue. I am concerned about the national broadband plan. We need to ensure businesses have access to reliable high-speed broadband. I know the Minister is working closely on the development of digital hubs. I am concerned about the delivery of the broadband plan. Given that we are investing more than €1 billion of public money in this plan, we need to ensure it delivers for our rural communities. Students from Kilteevan national school came to Leinster House this morning. It is always good to see young people from rural areas coming here to learn about the workings of the Seanad and the Dáil. As our education sector continues to move into a technology zone, adequate broadband services must be available to ensure students in rural areas are not at a disadvantage.

The Minister was aware because I discussed it with him on many occasions that I was concerned about the lack of emphasis on the west, in particular, in the national planning framework. It is envisaged that the inclusion of the hubs of Sligo and Athlone, which is very positive, will offset much of the pressure that is on Galway city. This is something that is badly needed. In that context, I will give a relevant example which feeds into the infrastructure challenges as well. When the Minister of State, Deputy Breen, came to Ballinasloe recently at my request, he visited the IDA Ireland business park in the town, where two flagship companies, Aptar and SurModics, are based. Both of those companies, which have benefited from the support of the local business park, are doing very well. SurModics expanded last year with the creation of 100 extra jobs. Towns like Ballinasloe have much more potential to offset the pressures from Galway city. The Minister and his officials work with their counterparts in many other Departments. I would like them to place a greater emphasis on employment agencies like IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, as well as on enhanced supports for local enterprise offices, to make sure they discriminate in favour of rural areas like Roscommon town, Ballinasloe and north Roscommon. It is critical that Government agencies work hard to ensure we develop the economic potential of such areas.

I would like to mention a final example of the positive initiatives that are taking place. I assure Senator Daly that I have many such examples. The Minister, Deputy Ring, was in County Roscommon recently to launch an investment of almost €1 million in the Beara-Breifne Way, which extends from County Cork to County Cavan.It has significant untapped potential for tourism development in the midlands. This feeds into the Shannon blueway and developing the potential of the new brand Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands. Again, we need to ensure the tourism agencies, Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, market it to its greatest potential to attract people to the region, not just for a day but to stay overnight.

The Minister works closely with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Michael Creed. I cannot overemphasise the importance of protecting the CAP budget, particularly in the context of Brexit, to which Senator Ian Marshall alluded.

This is not a quick fix. Nobody is saying there are no challenges in rural Ireland. However, we must be realistic and practical about solutions to enhance and improve the potential of rural areas.