The programme for Government contains support for provincial towns. I was recently told by the Minister of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, that Tipperary town in west Tipperary was flourishing. The Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Heather Humphreys, said that it was doing great altogether, and that we should look at Limerick and see how well it was doing. The Taoiseach visited Tipperary town approximately five years ago when he was Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. He saw it for himself. Not a penny has been invested by this Government or the previous Government, and we have had no meaningful visit from the IDA or anyone else. Will the Taoiseach take action and set up a task force to deal with the chronic unemployment and lack of investment in Tipperary town, both in terms of infrastructure, including the main road, and job incentives? West Tipperary is crying out for it. Will the Taoiseach also please ask that his Ministers educate themselves on the facts about Tipperary, especially the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Doherty, who is sitting beside him?

The Department of Rural and Community Development has a €1 billion fund to be used for investments and for improving our towns and villages in rural areas with a population of less than 10,000. It is open to community groups, people in Tipperary town and the local authority to apply for funding from that fund.

Over what period can they apply?

We hope to be able to make the first allocations in November and December. When towns do well and flourish, it is often as a result of bottom-up initiatives. I encourage community groups, businesses and the local authority to apply to that €1 billion fund, if they have not done so already.

They have done so, and they have got nowhere.