Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and acknowledge his contribution. It was a major step forward when we created this Department and got a senior Ministry dealing with what is a core issue for Irish society and the people, especially the rural people. We have been seeking a Minister at the Cabinet table to promote rural Ireland for so long. It is important to mention that Fianna Fáil got rid of it and this Government stepped in to the breach to ensure we now have a voice at the Cabinet table.

I compliment the Minister on his enthusiasm for these core issues. The Minister has championed many core issues since he took office almost a year ago, including the town and village renewal scheme and the local improvement scheme. The Minister put significant funding into local authorities under the local improvement scheme. We have seen the new announcement in the 2040 plan of €1 billion for the redevelopment of small towns and villages. These are all positive steps. I hope they will see rural Ireland reinvigorated. That is something we need to see.

The agriculture and Food Wise policies have been successful and have brought about major changes in output, especially in the dairy industry. That has been helpful in my part of the world. However, there are challenges and the Minister is aware of them. I believe the greatest challenge in rural Ireland is broadband. I know the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Naughten, is working hard on the issue. That is the most pressing issue. If we have a high level of broadband throughout rural Ireland, the ability of people to sustain rural Ireland will increase. I will use an analogy the Minister will be familiar with. We have a major employer in Cork city called Apple. There are almost 5,000 people working there but almost half of them work from home. Such is the ability we have in rural Ireland. Employees do not have to travel all the way to Cork city to work – they have the opportunity to work from home. We need to ensure that the broadband roll-out project brings the speeds required so that people can work from home. I see that as the key driver to ensure rural Ireland is sustainable in future. I know the Minister will play his part to push forward the announcement that will be made towards the end of this year so that rural homes can be connected and can get the speeds required. The knock-on effect will ensure rural Ireland is connected and sustained.

Other speakers have raised another key issue for rural Ireland, which is the regeneration of villages and towns. I imagine the Minister has spoken about this before. There are vacant houses in every village in Cork, Mayo or Limerick. We need to get life back into these villages. That will be a key driver. Senator Kieran O'Donnell spoke about whether we need to address taxation issues or a more comprehensive scheme to ensure that happens. There is a thriving village outside Cork city on the way to Bandon called Innishannon, where 17 houses in the village centre are unoccupied today. That is the core issue. It is 12 miles from Cork city and 4 miles from Bandon. It is a prime location and yet that level of vacancy exists. Addressing that issue will allow us to regenerate rural Ireland and solve the housing issue as well. These are issues we need to work on. I know the Minister has been working hard to drive forward these issues.

The main point is that we have a man at the Cabinet table. He is literally banging the Cabinet table for rural Ireland. It is great to have him in the Seanad. I acknowledge his efforts and I am looking forward to his summing up.