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13 Feb 2026
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13 Feb 2026
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Kildare South Sinn Féin TD Patricia Ryan
The Minister for Rural Development has been invited by Sinn Féin TD Patricia Ryan to see empty buildings in towns such as Rathangan, Monasterevin, Athy and Portarlington.
The South Kildare TD told a recent Dáil debate on rural development that she believed that the Government “has left rural Ireland behind”.
Calling on Minister Heather Humphreys to pay a visit to her constituency, Ryan said: “The Green Party means well but it has little or no concept of the reality of life in rural Ireland.
“Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have neglected rural Ireland to pander to their vested interests. We need to reverse the regional imbalance and neglect by accessing capital to improve the infrastructure of our towns and villages, and to create jobs.”
The TD said that far too many people are leaving Kildare and Laois every day to drive to Dublin for work, adding:
“This has an effect on their quality of life and well-being. Many of our towns and villages are blighted by dereliction. Buildings on our main streets have been empty for years.”
Ryan also said that broadband is essential for the economic growth of rural Ireland.
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