I am delighted to announce that Donegal has received a huge investment boost from the Government & European Union to sustain the hugely important seafood & aquaculture industry in the county. Five companies will benefit, businesses that are providing valuable employment and helping to sustain coastal communities

Fine Gael TD Pat Deering has welcomed the merger of Carlow-based Netwatch with UK & US monitoring companies to form new global security powerhouse following investment from The Riverside Company.

€884,000 will be spent in the county in the latest round of funding to repair and improve rural roads providing access to homes, farms, tourist spots and local amenities. It takes funding through the LIS scheme in Donegal to more than €4.2million in the last two years.

Donegal is on course to receive a total of more than €10million over the next five years, which for this year alone includes €1,058,745 for Donegal Local Development Company (DLDC), €597,180 for the Inishowen Development Partnership and €352,992 for Gaeltacht areas. There is no doubt that this funding will be of huge benefit to these areas and communities which have been affected in the past by cutbacks and unemployment.

Preparatory works are needed in Finglas to keep the Luas project on track, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Fine Gael TD for Dublin North West, Noel Rock, has welcomed the Government’s commitment to rent transparency.

I am delighted to be able to announce this honour to mark the vital contribution by so many selfless firefighters and crews and everything they do on a daily basis to save and protect life and shape our country. The nation’s fire services were not formally recognised with the 1916 Commemorative Medals during the centenary. That oversight will now be put right.

The European Investment Bank announcement of funding for the National Broadband Plan will help the roll out of broadband across Mayo, a Fine Gael Senator has said.