Vol. 651 No. 1
6 Deputy Seán Sherlock asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the breakdown of his Departmental staff; the location of each of the offices of his Department and the number of staff based in each; the number attached to each Minister or Minister of State within his Department in regard to private office and constituency office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12476/08]
The total staff complement for my Department is 269. The breakdown of staff by location is as follows: Dublin, 119; Tubbercurry, 79; Galway, 58; and other locations, including Donegal, Athlone and Cavan, 13. A total of 15 staff are assigned to the Minister, including ten in the private office and five in the constituency office. A total of 7.4 staff are assigned to my office, including 3.6 in the private office and 3.8 in the constituency office. Two civilian drivers are also assigned to me as Minister of State.
On the decentralisation of the Department, what is the position on Tubbercurry vis-à-vis the move to Knock? How many existing staff have agreed to move to Knock? What is the cost of leasing the premises in Tubbercurry? If the premises on Mespil Road is leased by the Department, what does it cost?
Bearing in mind that Deputy Ring is from Mayo, we must all be pragmatic. It beggars belief how we will create transport links between Dublin and the locations of the decentralised staff. Knock has an airport but does not have a railway station, the nearest of which is in Claremorris. Bus and taxi transport must be factored into the cost. Is it realistic to decentralise staff to Knock as a consequence? Newbridge in my county is on a rail line and there is, therefore, logic to decentralising staff there, but I cannot see the logic in transferring staff to Knock. The transport problems associated with Tubbercurry must be causing major problems in the Department in terms of ensuring continuity.
On decentralisation generally, the Office of Public Works, on behalf of the Department, will shortly be applying for planning permission for a new site in Charlestown in County Mayo. The staff currently located in Tubbercurry will relocate to that premises on its completion, which will be in 2010, all going well.
Non-property costs mentioned over the period 2004 to 2007 cover ICT and logistical support. The main costs of the Office of Public Works include the cost of the original site at the airport at Knock, that is, €390,000, and the rental and fit-out costs at Tubbercurry and Na Forbacha. It is expected that the additional costs will be a fraction of those incurred to date. At this stage, the Department is not in a position to be more specific.
Of the 144 posts to be relocated to Charlestown, 79 have been assigned to temporary offices in Tubbercurry as a precursor to the move to the new headquarters, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2010. The Tubbercurry offices opened in July 2006. Additional temporary accommodation is now being refurbished in Tubbercurry to allow us to further advance the decentralisation programme. From mid-May, over 100 staff will be relocated there, that is, some 74% of the original target. All ten posts to be relocated to Na Forbacha are now assigned. On Pobal, 42 posts have been moved to temporary offices in Clifden. The full complement will be relocated when Pobal's permanent offices are completed in Clifden, which is expected in 2009. The Office of Public Works has identified a suitable site there.
What is the position on Mespil Road? Is it leased or owned?
As far as I know it is leased, but I will confirm that.
I am glad about the developments in Charlestown but I am disappointment they have not occurred sooner.
Deputy Wall referred to transport. Mayo County Council has bypassed Ballaghaderreen but the western rail corridor——
That is beyond the scope of the question.
It concerns transport——
It is a statistical question.
If we could have the western rail corridor extended to Charlestown, it would make a massive difference to employees being located there. I read in the local press that the site has been bought in Charlestown. Can the Minister of State confirm this?
Bhí an tAire chun tagairt a dhéanamh d'Fhoras na Gaeilge ina fhreagra. B'fhéidir go ndéanfaidh sé méadú ar sin agus go n-inseoidh sé dúinn cad é atá beartaithe de bharr dílárú Fhoras na Gaeilge go dtí Tír Chonaill agus Gaoth Dobhair. Tá seo ag dul ar aghaidh le fada. An bhfuil aon dul chun cinn déanta agus an bhfuil aon scéal ag an Aire inniu?
Progress has been a little slower in respect of Foras na Gaeilge. Partly due to the fact that it is a North-South implementation body, it was necessary to secure the agreement of our Northern counterparts to the move. However, we now hope to see the start of the relocation process later this year, with possibly up to 20%, or just seven, of the targeted posts earmarked for relocation. The building owned by Údarás na Gaeltachta in Gaoth Dobhair is available for the staff of Foras na Gaeilge.
Seven posts this year.
I hope they will be relocated this year.
The site in Charlestown depends on planning permission being secured successfully.
7 Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position of the delivery of the new LEADER and social inclusion programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12353/08]
18 Deputy Paul Connaughton asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position regarding the implementation of the new rural development programme 2007 to 2013; and when funding will be available in order that projects under LEADER currently awaiting funding can proceed. [12341/08]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 18 together.
I refer the Deputies to my reply to a priority question on a related issue earlier today and to my previous replies to Question Nos. 10 and 19 of 14 February 2008.
As indicated in those replies, I hope to be in a position to commence the process of selecting the local action groups to deliver the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme for Ireland 2007-2013 in the near future. The funding available for the delivery of LEADER-type activities under the Rural Development Programme for Ireland 2007-2013 will amount to €425.4 million — almost treble the €150 million available for the 2000-06 period. The new programme will complement the other funding for rural development measures by my Department.
On the local development social inclusion programme, the position is that the National Development Plan 2007-2013 commits €49.6 billion to social inclusion including some €417 million for the local development and social inclusion programme, LDSIP. The 2008 voted allocation for the LDSIP is €57.44 million. Transitional arrangements are in place for 2008 to enable the new integrated structures and partnerships to extend their areas of coverage and to embed their operations. A value for money review of the programme is currently being concluded. My intention is to use the findings from this review to shape the future programme.
As indicated to the House earlier today, my intention is to have the cohesion process completed in advance of the roll-out of the new national development programmes, including the Leader programme and the local development social inclusion programme.
Have there been any job losses or lay-offs due to the delay in rolling out the Leader programme? I support a Minister conducting a review of the previous programmes and if there were any negatives in them, I would support a Minister if he or she had to correct that. What I cannot support is that while we knew this was coming and that there would be a new Leader programme, we have buildings and staff all over this country and the Leader programme has not yet been rolled out. It does not make sense for the Government to pay staff if the Leader programme is not being rolled out. I want to see that programme rolled out as quickly as possible.
Could the Minister of State provide an update on what has happened to the complaint relating to the Leader company in Cavan that was made to Europe? What is the problem, what is the complaint and is this holding back the roll out of the Leader programme?
Letters have been exchanged between the parties — between legal representatives for the companies involved and the European Commission and our Department. Correspondence was received by our Department a number of weeks ago. That most recent correspondence from the Commission has been responded to and we in the Department are waiting for the Commission's response to it. Our Department is confident that the position it has taken on the cohesion process will be vindicated but we await the outcome of that.
In the meantime, as I stated earlier and in my reply, the cohesion companies are in a position to wind up and complete existing programmes which had been in place under the current national development plan and we believe that it will be possible to roll out the new programme fairly expeditiously once this issue has been resolved.
On loss of jobs or redeployment, as each company is a separate company it is largely in the hands of those companies. It would be naive to suggest that there would not be at least some redundancies involved but it is too early to say yet what the extent of those will be.
Has the value for money review of the Leader programmes been concluded and when will that be made public?
It has been concluded. I am satisfied that my officials will make arrangements for the publication and dissemination of the report in a manner that will be consistent with the value for money policy review guidelines issued by the Department of Finance. I am given to understand it will be available quite shortly.
8 Deputy Jim O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the policy initiatives or campaigns that have recently been introduced to raise awareness of the dangers of drug use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12333/08]
Last February, I launched the national awareness campaign on drugs, "The Party's Over". This campaign was developed by the Health Service Executive, HSE, in consultation with many of the key Departments and agencies involved in tackling problem drug use, including my Department.
The campaign was developed with the intention that it will be sustainable over the next three years. In the first phase, the primary aim is to communicate the dangers of cocaine use, with a particular focus on so-called recreational cocaine users in the 15-34 year age group. The campaign is utilising appropriate media, such as social network websites, billboard and bus advertising as well as radio advertising to target this age group, and this approach will be continued.
The health promotion unit of the HSE has also published two leaflets "Know The Facts About Drugs" and "Cocaine — the Facts" to accompany the campaign. A drugs information website www.drugs.ie has also been developed and launched in conjunction with the campaign.
In this context, it is worth noting that many of the local and regional drugs task forces already have in place a number of valuable initiatives, including events such as awareness weeks. Such initiatives have proven to be effective as many of them focus on issues that are particular to their localities.
In addition, it should be noted that I have secured funding this year for initiatives to tackle the cocaine problem. As part of this, cocaine awareness campaigns at a more local and regional level — to dovetail with this national campaign — will be developed over the coming months by the drugs task forces. In the past two weeks we called for local campaign proposals to be forwarded, through task forces, to me.
How much exactly did "The Party's Over" campaign cost? Although I do not like saying so, I was disappointed with the advertisements. At a time when there was never as much talk about drugs, we never had as many crises about drugs and we never had as many people dying from drugs, the campaign was too light. I thought that we would have a campaign such as that for drink driving in which there would be a positive effect where people would see what happens.
It is one thing to have an awareness campaign, but it must be effective and I felt that this campaign was not. I want to know how much we paid for it. Personally, I was disappointed with the way that this was rolled out. I would hope that future campaigns will be more striking and convincing and get the message across.
Is this campaign being brought to the schools, to the colleges and onto the streets with public meetings? It is far more effective to bring it into the schools and to the colleges and to call public meetings to show what is happening.
The sum of €600,000 was set aside by the HSE for the campaign. The campaign was developed arising from an evaluation of the previous campaigns which were found to be less than effective because they were not focused enough, etc. I am advised that the deficiencies, such as they were, in the previous campaigns were taken account of. The HSE, along with our Department, will be carrying out an evaluation of the campaign.
One must bear in mind that the campaign, both local and national, will run for a three-year period. The local campaigns, which will involve long-term interventions as well as simply advertising awareness, will cost of the order of €2 million over the next three years. Separately, the Department of Education and Science and other agencies are working on awareness campaigns.
As to whether they are hard-hitting enough, I would not disagree with Deputy Ring. For example, one music magazine, which I will not name but which most people will know, produced a good specific issue on the drug culture. It submitted to the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland and to RTE what I regarded as a hard-hitting, but not offensive, advertising DVD which in both cases, I understand, was ruled to be in poor taste, and only a much more modified version of the advertisement was allowed to be broadcast. Sometimes it is extremely difficult to gauge how hard-hitting one can be.
I note Deputy Ó Snodaigh is here. He and I were at a seminar this morning organised by Merchants Quay Ireland where a publication on needle exchange programmes was launched which, in itself, is hard-hitting and will probably be disturbing. No doubt certain persons will find it necessary to complain about how blunt are the messages in that booklet. Frankly, we cannot have it both ways. We either get the message across clearly and bluntly, or we can pussyfoot around for ever and not be able to tackle the problem.
The war against drugs will only be won if families can be linked into tackling societal problems regarding drug barons etc. I fully support Deputy Ring's comments that initiatives such as this must be directed towards primary and secondary school pupils and developed subsequently through the children's parents. What will be done in this regard? Moreover, during Question Time and in committee meetings on previous occasions, I raised with the Minister of State the use of national sport and recreation organisations. In tandem with parents, such organisations should be used to demonstrate alternatives, to show the enjoyment people can derive from activities that are not associated with drugs and that another world is there for young people that is highly entertaining and enjoyable. The Minister should try to ascertain how young people can be directed towards such activities because repeatedly hitting them with a constant barrage in this regard simply becomes repetitive and does not provide the involvement that people seek.
I recall holding a meeting in Athy on drug misuse that parents simply did not wish to attend. They did not want it known that they had attended such a meeting. People have fears in this regard and members of the Garda have confirmed this to me. They stated that people are wary of attending such meetings because were they to be seen, people might think that someone belonging to them was involved with drugs. The Minister of State should indicate ways in which he can use the more than 1,000 recreational associations in Ireland to provide alternatives to young people, involving families, which will make the difference.
I completely agree with Deputy Wall. The practice in most recovery programmes now is that families are involved in the entire process from the time the misuser engages with the service right through the continuum of care. The Deputy probably is aware of the family support network, of which there are 150 to 180 units in different parts of the country that carry out very good work. Last Friday I visited Limerick and sat in on a training programme that was being carried out there by the Strengthening Families programme, which is an American-based programme from the University of Utah. It is being rolled out in 18 different counties, mainly through the national youth organisations that are partially funded by the Department. I also am anxious to engage with the sports bodies. As the Deputy probably is aware, some sports development offices are co-funded by the Department and local authorities, as well as by the sports bodies, which are carrying out extremely good work in the preventative area. For example, last Thursday I launched what I consider to be an extremely effective campaign by Galway United Football Club called Give Drugs the Boot. Unfortunately, the club appears to have given the manager the boot the next day.
That is right.
Deputy Michael D. Higgins is the president.
That club has a distinguished president.
It has. Unfortunately, he was unable to be present that evening.
To be serious, the club, which is grounded in the community, is going around different parts of Galway and its hinterland holding a premiership-type fun event. It will engage people in that fashion. Its players and supporters are involved and the business community also is closely involved in driving the programme. Furthermore, my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher, held a meeting earlier today with the GAA pertaining to the alcohol issue, a field in which I believe there is considerable room for co-operation between various Departments.
Although we are well over time, I will allow Deputy Ó Snodaigh to ask a question.
On the point made by the Minister of State, Members should praise all those groups that have taken the initiative. While some have done so of their own volition, money should be available to others to allow them to organise awareness campaigns. Although the Minister announced €2 million in funding for awareness campaigns, I believe this merely constitutes a drop in the ocean. What steps has he taken to ensure the sourcing of more money to gain access to schools, sports clubs, social venues and professional bodies with material that is relevant to them? There should be shock tactics, if necessary, in advertisements and the like. What additional money is available? Although the €2 million allocated by the Minister of State probably has already been committed, if this programme is to be rolled out over three years, a continuous campaign will be required. How will the Minister do that? The message will remain the same but it must be continually changed and revised.
The awareness campaign is an integral part of the national drug strategy and constitutes one of its five pillars. I am determined to continue to fund initiatives. The sum of €2 million is intended for local awareness campaigns and I await the submission of proposals from all parts of the country. I expect they will be highly innovative and a number of groups have spoken to me in this regard. It is not always down to cost as effectiveness probably is as important. Certainly however, money will be available in the area of cocaine in particular. Moreover, the area of poly-drug use is developing because Irish people appear to be interested in mixing their drugs.
9 Deputy Phil Hogan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the changes in boundaries that will take place which would effect the Údarás elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12363/08]
16 Deputy Bernard Allen asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will set up an independent commission to review the 152 Gaeltacht electoral areas and boundaries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12376/08]
17 Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the Cabinet-level committee established to consider recommendations arising out of the linguistic study of the usage of the Irish language in the Gaeltacht has met; and if so, the regularity with which it has met [12380/08]
38 Deputy Brian O’Shea asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the first meeting of the Cabinet-level committee to consider matters arising in the context of the analysis and recommendations of the report of the linguistic study on the use of Irish in the Gaeltacht has taken place; and if important decisions were made at the meeting. [12492/08]
148 Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the Cabinet-level committee established to consider recommendations arising out of the linguistic study of the usage of the Irish language in the Gaeltacht has met; if so, the regularity with which it has met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12388/08]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 16, 17, 38 and 148 together.
As I informed the House earlier in response to today's Priority Question No. 4, the Government decided to establish a Cabinet-level committee to consider matters arising in the context of the analysis and recommendations of the report on the linguistic study of the use of Irish in the Gaeltacht. The first meeting of the committee is scheduled to take place on 10 April 2008. Accordingly, no decisions have been taken at this point with regard to the Gaeltacht boundaries or electoral areas.
I am glad to hear this because the report on the linguistic study on the Irish language makes recommendations whereby categories A, B and C will be introduced. There are three Gaeltacht areas in my constituency of Mayo and the adoption of the report by the Government would mean that only Ceathrú Thaidhg would be included in any of the aforementioned categories. While I was anxious to hear the Minister's views in this regard today, he is not present and I will table another question on this matter again. Were such recommendations carried through, Belmullet, Tourmakeady and parts of Achill Island in my constituency, and County Meath would not have any representation at the Údarás, which would be a serious mistake. Members should have a debate in this House and in committee regarding any changes that might take place that would affect the representation of communities at the Údarás.
As I noted earlier, no decisions have been taken with regard to the Gaeltacht boundaries. Deputy Ring's suggestions may constitute a useful way forward. As the Cabinet committee meets and develops its approach, one will be able to engage further in how it will be possible to implement some of the suggestions put forward by Deputy Ring and others.
It has taken quite some time to hold the first meeting of the Cabinet committee on the staidéar teangeolaíoch. If there are to be boundary changes for the Gaeltacht, would it require legislation? Can Members anticipate the application of greater urgency in respect of the scrutiny by the Cabinet committee of the analysis and recommendations in the report? This is typical of how matters are handled in the Department in that it goes on and on, decisions are not made and a deteriorating situation becomes worse. My essential question is whether Members can have confidence that the Minister will ensure the recommendations of this study are implemented at some reasonable date and will not run on into the life of the next Government, which is highly likely. I do not envisage any situation arising in which there will be boundary changes before the next Údarás elections. Indeed, if there are to be changes regarding the boundaries, that will require other legislation. There is a great deal of technical and legislative work to be done. There is absolutely no urgency about this. The setting up of this Cabinet-level committee is really an example of tokenism.
I completely reject the assertion that this is tokenism. Anybody who knows the Minister knows that whatever else one might say about him, he is not involved in token gestures. As Deputy O'Shea noted, one of the recommendations is that certain electoral districts be redrawn with a view to combining townlands and so on, including existing Irish-speaking networks, with adjacent electoral divisions of the same linguistic profile. Obviously, this has a knock-on effect on other legislation. Due to the fact the Cabinet-level committee is high-powered, it is clear that it will be in a position to progress the recommendations, findings and a programme of action which is necessary and that the Government is committed to it.
Tá súil agam go dtiocfaidh an coiste sin le chéile go tapaidh chun gur féidir leis an obair sin a dhéanamh.
Tiocfaidh sé le chéile ar an 10ú lá d'Aibreán.
An bhfuil sé i gceist an toghchán d'Údarás na Gaeltachta a bheith ar siúl ag an am céanna leis an toghchán áitiúil agus an toghchán Eorpach? An mbeidh siad ceangailte le chéile ionas go mbeidh siad ar fad ar siúl ar an lá céanna?
Is dócha nach bhfuil aon seans go gcuirfeadh an Teachta ceist éasca orm. Níl a fhios agam. B'fhéidir go bhfuil an t-eolas sin ag an Aire Comhshaoil, Oidhreachta agus Rialtais Áitiúil.
Ceart go leor. Cuirfidh mé ceist scríofa chuige.
Does Deputy O'Shea wish to speak again?
The Minister of State described the Cabinet-level committee as being high-powered. It is not high-powered in terms of its personnel. It is high-powered in terms of what it seeks to achieve and how effective it is. I do not doubt the Minister's sincerity but I am concerned about the length of time he seems to take to do pretty much anything.
The Minister of State made the point that the Minister is not involved in tokenism but if something is done but is not then developed and good results do not come from it, it is effectively token in that regard.
An bhfuil ceist ag an Teachta?
The first meeting is now taking place after quite a delay. Will meetings take place on a weekly or monthly basis or can we expect to have an anniversary meeting next year?
If there is any inference that nothing has been happening, I can tell Deputy O'Shea that the Department organised public information sessions regarding the results of the study throughout the Gaeltacht. It is proposed that the feedback from those sessions will be available to the committee to assist in its deliberations. I have no doubt the Cabinet-level committee, as happens with all such committees, will meet as and when it is necessary. I imagine the Minister will be insistent that it meets quite regularly.
10 Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress made with regard to the commitment contained in the programme for Government to establish community development agencies as a one stop shop for advice on grants and other matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12483/08]
11 Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position with the Leader partnership company for offshore islands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12344/08]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together.
Arising from the joint ministerial initiative on the review of local and community development structures, the Government agreed a series of measures in January 2004 to improve arrangements under which community and local development initiatives are delivered and to improve cohesion and focus across various measures. This process is informed by the following guiding principles: improving on the ground services; streamlining structures so as to avoid overlaps, duplication and undue administrative overheads; bringing transparency, co-ordination and improved control to the funding and operation of local and community development measures; and strengthening the democratic accountability of agencies and providers in this area.
The core objective of the process is to simplify and improve local delivery of programmes operated by my Department through the integration and alignment of local delivery structures. In line with the commitment in the programme for Government, the intention is that for the future, there will be one local development company in any given area and fewer local development companies overall. The new arrangements will provide full county coverage and enable communities to more readily access services and make maximum use of the funding available.
Following an extensive consultation phase, the Government decided on revised areas of coverage for local development groups and clarified the arrangements in respect of the membership of the boards of these bodies last year. Leader and partnership groups have been asked to give effect to these decisions and my Department has provided detailed guidelines to secure this outcome. The realignment of local delivery structures will reduce the overall number of local development bodies from 94 to 55, comprising 17 partnerships in urban areas and 38 integrated Leader-partnership bodies in rural areas.
My intention is to have the cohesion process completed in advance of the roll out of the new NDP programmes, including the Leader programme and the local development social inclusion programme. At this stage, local development bodies are in place in 53 of the 55 operational areas agreed by the Government. In respect of the islands, a new integrated structure was incorporated on 8 November 2007.
The one stop shop approach certainly works in respect of the sports partnerships in the specific areas where they set out workshops in respect of providing information and setting up programmes where they work with the various sports groups to ensure the application for national lottery funding is right and proper and within the guidelines.
I do not see anything of that in respect of either the outgoing Leader programmes or the new process. The programme for Government contains exciting things relating to creating a vibrant rural community in respect of agriculture and agri-tourism. However, I see nothing that invites the people in. There has been a complete change in respect of many agri-businesses in rural Ireland and nothing seems to be coming on stream that will attract them. We talk about Leader, changes and the realignment of the system but nothing seems to be coming forward that will suddenly tell rural areas that we are now going to have a vibrant community, involve everybody, have a tourism value that will attract people to our area, use some of the facilities that farmers have and see mechanisms that will make it easy for this to happen. That does not seem to be there. Does the Minister of State believe that this is or will be there? Where do we stand in respect of the vibrant rural community that was envisaged in the programme for Government before the last election?
The rural development programme will be delivered very much at local level. It is there and significant funding is assigned to it. For example, €16.66 million has been assigned for diversification into non-agricultural activities for farm families. A total of €48.26 million has been assigned to support business creation and development, while €45.4 million has been assigned to encourage tourism activities. Over €49 million has been assigned for basic services for the economy and rural population, €54.2 million has been assigned for village renewal and development, €51.7 million has been assigned for conservation and upgrading of the rural heritage, €29.45 million has been assigned for training and information on adapted and new skills, nearly €11 million has been assigned for implementing co-operation projects and €34.63 million has been assigned for skills acquisition and animation.
Through the local structures, which we are very close to seeing put in place, it will take very little time before we see a roll-out of very significant and interesting projects. Last week, I had an opportunity in Donegal, Galway, Mayo and Clare to look at some really interesting projects that have added hugely to what Deputy Wall describes as the vibrant rural communities. I am extremely hopeful and have a high level of expectation that we will see a considerable amount of high-quality development in the very near future once the programme begins to be rolled out.
The Minister of State was very welcome in Mayo last week but it is a pity he did not tell me he was coming as I would have met him. A new Fianna Fáil policy over the past few years has been not to tell anybody that they are coming in. The only time we are told about a public meeting is when there is trouble. We are brought in to deal with the problem. I was glad to see the Minister of State's photograph in the local newspaper. I would have liked to have been with there with him but it did not happen. Something needs to be done about the one stop shop as Deputy Wall has outlined very well. We have many agencies in different counties. When people come to a particular agency for information they are told that it only deals with one area and not others. Many people do not understand about agencies and believe they are all the one. They feel they are getting the run around. It is important that we have the one-stop shops so that when people come into a building they can get the information in that office regardless of the information sought and they do not need to go down the street. They do not understand the difference between them.
My next question relates to the islands. We talk about the Irish language, rural areas and communities. I must say that the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, has supported the islands over the years. The islands should be given their own Leader programme in the next round. It is important that they be given that recognition and support. That grant aid should be available for them to try to get more people involved in the islands to create employment and get rural development up and running in the islands. In recent years the islands have issued a number of reports and it is important that the Leader programme should include them. I hope the islands will be treated independently of the Leader programmes on the mainland.
I agree with the Deputy that it is very important that a structure exists to support the islands.
I agree wholeheartedly with the Deputies that the sooner we get the one-stop shops in place the better. Some of the Deputy's county council colleagues were in Kiltimagh, which is an extremely good example of a one-stop shop. I was very impressed by the range of activities that were being delivered through, in this case, the Kiltimagh community development project. They ranged from early education right through to senior citizens. There was a wide range of activities in the area of computers. I met some young people involved in the Foróige club for example. Active retired people were also there. There is a greater willingness in rural parts or outside the large urban areas for that to happen than there is in large city areas. If necessary, we must continue to encourage and knock heads together. At the end of the day customer service is what matters. The Deputy is right. People expect to be able to get the information they seek in one location rather than going from one office to another. There is no justification for the dispersal of information that has been the practice up to now. The cohesion process will contribute towards that happening.
In my area we have the county council, Naas Town Council and the local VEC. Regarding the one-stop shops, it is wonderful to see the move towards local authority buildings that can encompass many of these things. In the long term I hope we will see one-stop shops becoming part and parcel of that. The central focus of any town is on the local authority buildings and some magnificent buildings have been built. Without predetermining some of the initiatives and schemes, would it be possible to use the local authority mechanism to introduce another strand that would be helpful to all organisations that need to deal with local authorities?
I believe the better local government programme was introduced when you were Minister for the Environment, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. The county and city development boards will contribute to enhancing the cohesion necessary.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
