Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator Buttimer in offering condolences to those whose loved ones lost their lives in the United States. Club Q was the heart of the LGBT community. I hail those who put their lives on the line to stop the attack. It is absolutely incredible.

As has been mentioned, I support the Garda today on the work it does in our communities day in, day out. The incident that has been mentioned was shocking. We need to stand up for our gardaí, as at the vigil now taking place in Ballyfermot. What occurred was an attack on our society. The Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, has spoken about this. She called it an absolutely despicable act and will be taking action on it.

Let me take the opportunity on the Order of Business to speak about European Commission funding. A stimulus package of more than €217 million has been allocated to the Northern & Western Regional Assembly under European regional development funds. The Southern Regional Assembly takes on the southern area and there is also an assembly for the east, but the counties in the north and west have been designated a region in transition. The European Commission has indicated that, per capita, supports in that region are lower than in the rest of the country. The stimulus package is about building a more competitive region, smart specialisation and regional enterprise plans. It is also about energy efficiency. It will cover the retrofitting of homes. We know already that the west has some of the oldest housing in the country. The funding will support sustainable regeneration. All the elements, including Town Centre First, urban regeneration and rural regeneration, are crucial, but the funding will really support the Atlantic Technological University, with a focus on bringing industry, enterprise and jobs to the west. We want to see more people choosing the west as a place to live and work because it has the best quality of life. I thank the Northern & Western Regional Assembly, its director, Mr. David Minton, its chairperson, and Galway county councillor Mr. David Collins. The funding represents a fantastic achievement, so needed to help boost enterprise and our area in the west.