Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome that the Deputy Leader is the acting Leader today. I am delighted to see her in the Chair. I will raise a number of issues.First, on Friday, the Government announced the allocation for the rural regeneration scheme. There were 290 applications and 18 projects awarded. The question has to be asked. I am conscious with this programme for Ireland that there is a tight line to be walked between a Government initiative and a Fine Gael partnership Government initiative. There is a considerable amount of money being spent. I merely want to put down a marker today that I am seriously considering submitting some queries under FOI to find out how this line is being marked in terms of budgeting and marketing. I do not want to be cynical because I am not a cynic. I want to be positive because it is good news but I caution that there is a tight line to be walked by Ministers masquerading a Government of Ireland initiative using Government of Ireland designated budgets and marketing strategy when, in effect, it may be a Government initiative. I am conscious that in the not-too-distant future we will have a general election. We have to be careful that we walk this tight line.

Whereas there were 18 projects awarded under the rural regeneration scheme, the rest of the 290 applicants are disappointed. I would like some assurances, if not today then sometime. We need to know where the rest of those applicants will be dealt with. Will there be a second round in 2019? That would be really important because every project within this scheme is worthy of the funding.

The announcement yesterday of the urban regeneration and development fund was another massive announcement of €100 million in spending. That also has to be welcomed. The Taoiseach, the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Madigan, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, and the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, Deputy Halligan, presided over those announcements or at least that is what the Government press office issued in its press statement. I did not attend and do not know. Many communities were exceptionally disappointed they did not get allocations. I am not suggesting anyone who got them should not have got them but I am around a long time to know that interesting locations in interesting constituencies got this load of money. Project Ireland 2040 is a national plan and I want to see national, across-the-board distribution.

I had somebody in my office today who talked with great excitement and pride about the citizenship ceremony that took place yesterday in Killarney Convention Centre, in the Leas-Chathaoirleach's neck of the woods. Those involved took the oath of fidelity to the nation, received their certificates of naturalisation and thereby became Irish citizens. This lady explained to me in my office how proud she was, and that is a great thing. There were three sittings. There was such an amount of people there. These are new Irish citizens of diverse backgrounds, cultures and traditions. Is it not great to say that they are warmly welcome? A Minister, namely, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, presided over the ceremony yesterday. That is something we can be truly proud of. It enriches our society. It enriches our culture. I hope, by embracing these people as new citizens of Ireland, we will continue to support them in their careers, in their work and in their family life as yesterday is only just the beginning. They are now Irish men and women. It is a really good day. I wanted to share that good news with the House because that lady was in my office this morning telling me of her great excitement at that event.