‘Cavan will benefit from increased funding’ – Smith

Leaving the recent Cavan -v- Fermanagh game in Brewster Park, we were delighted to be heading to Croke Park for the Tailteann Cup Semi-Final. It will be our county’s senior team’s second appearance in Croke Park this year and hopefully we will be there for the Tailteann Cup Final as well.

Getting to matches and other recreational and sporting events lifts the spirits of all of us and I have no doubt that the return to normal trading for most businesses has lifted their spirits having gone through an unprecedented pandemic.

Great credit is due to the many businesses and enterprises throughout all of Cavan who have gone through such challenging times but are, once again, trading well and hopeful of continued improvements in the business atmosphere. Of course coming out of the pandemic, we didn’t think we would be facing the consequences of a horrific war in the eastern part of our own continent of Europe.

Through the pandemic the government quite rightly supported families and businesses whose income literally disappeared overnight. In employers and employees, there is a determination to rebuild and expand enterprises despite the challenges now emerging with increased energy costs and the problems that arise from increases in the cost of living.

Some of our enterprises are hopeful of increasing employment numbers and we will also have a new United States company coming to the Dublin Road Business Park. More jobs locally bring so many benefits for families and communities.

I am glad to continue to support our local statutory agencies in the ambitious investment plans they put to government Departments and all of Co Cavan will benefit from increased government funding.

We have huge housing challenges and Minister Darragh O’Brien is making unprecedented public funding available to increase substantially our housing stock, which is so much needed. That investment will deliver good homes for more people and also support local employment.

Provision of new and expanded education facilities will benefit generations of students and in Cavan Town alone we have a major development underway at St Clare’s Primary School, a major project has been approved for Breifne College, sports facility for the Royal School and additional permanent accommodation will also be provided for Cavan Institute. Such investment is also happening in many other parishes in our county.

As a community, we are very fortunate that we have so many people to volunteer for community activities. In every parish locals work so hard to provide community and sporting facilities and in many instances government funding towards some of the costs is an essential support. It is so heartening to see the upgrading of existing and provision of new recreational and sporting grounds throughout all of the county.