Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome Senator McGreehan's brother. If, as she claims, he is responsible for her having an interest in politics, then I blame him for the arguments I have with her in this Chamber, although we are meant to be on the same side.

I welcome the news today from the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, on the plans for the town centre first programme right across the country. It has been announced today that towns in every county in Ireland will be prioritised by the Government for investment to deal with dereliction and vacancies. Carrick-on-Suir in Tipperary has been selected and given priority. Each local authority will have a person who is in charge of making sure that those jobs are completed on time. For as long as I have been alive, there has always been a feeling in Carrick-on-Suir of the town being neglected by politicians and the Government. In the past 12 months, that is no longer the case for Carrick-on-Suir and for representatives in the town. It has been chosen for the town centre first programme by the Government. The town also received €17 million in funding under the rural regional development fund, which will transform the town. It is the largest amount of funding received by any town in Tipperary. It would not have happened were it not for the mayor of Carrick-on-Suir at the time, Councillor Mark Fitzgerald, who did Trojan work to make sure that application was successful and that it would get over the line. The work is now starting, which is the most important thing, and to have that along with this announcement today from the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, and the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, means the Carrick-on-Suir has a bright future going forward because of the decisions that have been made by the Government over the past 12 months.