Sir, - The Irish Government is finalising its National Development Plan which will outline our economic and social investment priorities for the seven-year period after 1999. This plan, which will be worth over £38 billion, will then be forwarded to the European Commission for its consideration and evaluation. It will be the boldest and most substantial investment ever made in improving the competitiveness of the Irish economy.
I believe that rural communities must receive a fair proportion of these monies so that a strong and permanent basis for investment and job creation can exist in rural Ireland. I fully welcome the recent publication of the Government's White Paper on Rural Development which is a very serious indication of the Government's commitment to create long-term jobs in rural Ireland.
While the new regional authorities, the county enterprise boards and State agencies will have a key role to play in this matter, the necessary funding must also be made available to promote strong rural development measures. There must be a programme for substantial investment in infrastructure such as roads, rail, sewerage, water, telecommunications and transport networks.
I also support the need to continue with "bottom-up" schemes such as the Leader initiatives and I am confident that the Leader III scheme will be properly funded in the context of implementing these policy objectives.
If the proper infrastructure is not put in place in rural Ireland, it will be impossible to attract new industry into many rural parts of the country in the future. - Yours, etc.,
Liam Hyland MEP, Fearagh, Ballacolla, Portlaoise, Co Laois.