358 Deputy Seán Sherlock asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will consider a change in policy on access to funding for hub-designated towns under the national spatial strategy so there is no impediment to towns such as Mallow in County Cork applying to local development agencies for funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34562/10]

The National Spatial Strategy (2002) designated nine towns, including Mallow, as Hubs because of their capacity to develop and act as drivers for growth for their hinterlands. The need for co-ordinated investment in Hub towns was identified in the NSS and reinforced in the NSS Update and Outlook Report which I have now published.

In June 2007, my Department published the NSS Hubs — Development Issues and Challenges Report. The study identified the development issues and challenges for each Hub, and made recommendations to support and advance their future growth and development. My Department is aware that eligibility criteria for certain rural development funding programmes, such as LEADER, may be defined in such a way as to exclude designated Hub towns on the basis that these programmes are geared towards supporting development in rural areas. My Department will continue to make the case with the Departments and agencies which manage those programmes that Hub status designation should not be a barrier to access to funding from the programmes. The reports referred to are available on my Department's website — www.environ.ie.