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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Oct 1997

Vol. 481 No. 1

Ceisteanna—Questions. - Western Development and Rural Renewal.

Michael Ring

Question:

1 Mr. Ring asked the Taoiseach if he will maintain the responsibility for co-ordinating the Government's commitment to western development and rural renewal at his Department. [15288/97]

Jim Higgins

Question:

3 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Taoiseach the number of staff in his Department who were formerly employed in respect of duties attaching to western development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15633/97]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 3 together.

As Deputies will be aware, on taking up office as Taoiseach I made substantial changes in departmental responsibilities and organisation of functions to reflect my commitment to advancing the policies set out in the programme for Government. These changes have brought together the functions that naturally belong together or complement each other.

This is a sensible arrangement, and one which will ensure that all of the important issues are dealt with within a context which helps us to see the overall rationale for the activities.

While responsibility for western development and rural renewal was formerly allocated to a Minister of State at my Department, this was one of the areas I reviewed on taking up office as Taoiseach. I am conscious of the great need for development which maintains the fabric of rural life and the population necessary to underpin the provision of vital services in rural areas. The rural development portfolio within the Department of Agriculture and Food supports the process of regenerating rural communities which are, of necessity, diversifying away from dependence on traditional agricultural employment. I see western development as tackling the same issue in seven western counties. Essentially, the Western Development Commission was set up to focus on a regional response to the problems of the west through economic and social development. While the commission's brief relates to the west, the lessons emerging from its approach can be applied throughout the country.

Given the overlapping nature of the issues which I have just outlined, I have decided that the western development and rural renewal functions should be added to those of rural development within the Department of Agriculture and Food. A Minister of State, Deputy Noel Davern, has been assigned special responsibility for co-ordinating rural and western development, and I am satisfied that he will do an excellent job.

In respect of the specific question on staffing levels in my Department, formerly there were three officials assigned to work on western development and rural renewal. These officials did not work exclusively in this policy area but also covered islands development.

I do not believe the Department of the Taoiseach should be directly engaged in ongoing operational functions which take away from its key role of providing the Taoiseach and the Government with policy advice which is central to the process of government. However, while my Department will no longer deal directly with western development, I intend to maintain a personal interest in the matter. I want to place on record my commitment to supporting the work of the Western Development Commission which will work alongside the communities and agencies in the west to promote regional development. I will meet the commission next week to discuss its work, and I intend to hold further meetings with them from time to time.

As a west of Ireland Deputy I am disappointed the Taoiseach did not re-appoint a Minister with responsibility for western development. Not alone did he not appoint a Minister, he took that responsibility away from his own Department, gave it to the Department of Agriculture and Food, and appointed a Deputy from another constituency who has no understanding of the west. Deputy Donal Carey did wonderful work as Minister of State, and I compliment him.

The Deputy should ask a question.

Will the Taoiseach reconsider his decision and reclaim this responsibility for the Department of the Taoiseach as was done under Deputy John Bruton as Taoiseach? The previous Government gave a commitment that all State agencies — such as the IDA which showed scant regard for the west for many years — would account to the Taoiseach every year. I ask the Taoiseach to reclaim those powers for the Department of the Taoiseach.

I fully support the work of the Western Development Commission and hope it will continue. Western development and rural renewal are not far apart; most of the issues are the same. The Minister of State with responsibility for this area has a deep understanding of rural Ireland. He is not from a western constituency, but neither was Deputy Donal Carey from a Border county although he had responsibility for the Border area. I assure Deputy Ring that the commitment, the work and my interest in the commission will continue. I have already arranged to meet the commission shortly, and it has asked me to meet it on an ongoing basis. It has been suggested by the Minister of State, Deputy Davern, and others that a ministerial committee should be established comprising Ministers from the west, Deputies de Valera, McDaid, Ó Cuív, Moffatt and Molloy, to discuss issues of concern to the west. That will be done.

(Mayo): Is the Taoiseach aware that on the “Pat Kenny Show”, this morning attention was drawn to the fact that parents queued overnight in secondary school yards in Dublin to enrol their children for the year 2003, that during Energy Awareness Week it took an hour and a half to travel from Leinster House to the western bypass and that today in the House we will debate the issue of rezoning of hundreds of acres of land to build thousands of little boxes, one on top of the other, in a city choked by pollution, crime and unemployment at a time when schools, sub-post offices and shops are being closed in rural areas?

No sub-post offices will be closed. I have given an order to that effect.

That is the legacy of the Deputy's party.

(Mayo): Is the Taoiseach also aware that the population of the west declined by 200,000 between 1926 and 1991? Is he further aware that the strength of the western development initiative initiated by the previous Government lay in the fact that every Minister and departmental secretary was directly answerable to the Taoiseach on a daily basis, that the chief executive of every State agency reported directly to the Taoiseach and that by specifying aims and targets the west was kept in sharp focus? Does he accept that by transferring responsibility to the Departments of Agriculture and Food and the Environment and Local Government he has neutralised the thrust of the approach adopted and effectively abandoned western development?

I am familiar with the work of the Western Development Commission and aware of its aspirations. I look forward to working with it. I recognise the need for urban and rural renewal. I am delighted to have a Minister of State of the quality of Deputy Davern who has extensive experience in Europe, Government and this House spanning several decades. Without taking from any of his predecessors, it will be acknowledged that he is a Minister of the highest quality.

In transferring responsibility for the Western Development Commission from his Department to a line Department is the Taoiseach making a statement that a particular line Department will have exclusive responsibility and that there will not be a co-ordinating role, given that the Minister for Agriculture and Food is one among equals and that we are talking about a multi-functional body? In reply to a supplementary question the Taoiseach regarded western development as being akin to rural development. Will he indicate why, having taking the decision to transfer responsibility from a central to a line Department, the Department of Agriculture and Food was chosen rather than the renamed Department of Environment and Local Government?

The issues involved in western and rural development are similar. There are additional aspects which will be dealt with by the Western Development Commission. I am due to meet it shortly to discuss them. The issues involved can be dealt with successfully by the Department of Agriculture and Food. The Minister concerned will have a co-ordinating role. The Minister for Public Enterprise has reached agreement with An Post that no further sub-post offices will be closed. The Minister for Education will ensure that schools in the west will remain open and that there will be two rather than one-teacher schools. The Minister for the Environment is involved in a number of related issues.

Before the general election the Taoiseach made a statement that he would abolish the post of Minister of State with responsibility for western development. He has now done that and for the first time since the foundation of the State we have no senior Minister in Connacht. Now that there is a vacancy, the Taoiseach might consider appointing a senior Minister for Connacht to show he has some commitment to the west.

Who caused the vacancy?

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