asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the length of time for which the Programme for Integrated Rural Development in the 11 designated pilot areas will run before he can extend the scheme to the entire country as has been agreed with the EC.
Written Answers. - Programme for Integrated Rural Development.
16.
The pilot programme for integrated rural development will run for a period of two years. In the light of the emerging experience from the pilot measure, a decision will be made as to the possibility of extending the programme to the entire country.
I hope the Community will adopt a rural development policy in the near future. The Commission has indicated its intention of producing a major policy document in this area. We cannot, however, wait too long for this document. We have decided to press ahead ourselves with a pilot scheme so that when the financial flows arising out of the reform of the Structural Funds have reached sufficiently increased levels we will be in a position to maximise our own participation. We are the first member state to undertake a broad national pilot scheme for rural development following the EC Summit decision on increased Structural Funds.
Negotiations with the EC Commission on funding for the pilot schemes have already been initiated.