The Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs is accusing Fine Gael TDs of contradicting each other on the Government's investment in rural areas like the Shannonside region.

 

He says Roscommon South Leitrim Deputy Frank Feighan has accused the Government of not investing enough in rural Ireland under the recently announced Capital Investment Programme for 2010-2016.

 

Deputy James Bannon has also slammed the cuts in expenditure for schools in Longford.

 

However, Minister Pat Carey says that their city based colleagues like Leo Varadkar have called for a greater share of capital funding for Dublin, saying Dubliners represent 25% of the population and pay 50% of the country’s taxes.

 

Meanwhile, Simon Coveney TD, also displayed an anti-rural bias when he called on the IDA to review its policy of prioritising the location of Foreign Direct Investment in regions outside Cork and Dublin.

 

In response Deputy Feighan says this is typical Fianna Fail 'antics' and says he will continue to highlight his concerns that rural areas have been left behind in the latest Government review.