Bertie Ahern
Question:8 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Taoiseach the action, if any, the Government has taken on last year's NESC report on rural development. [2391/96]
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Rural Areas Depopulation.
Noel Treacy
Question:12 Mr. N. Treacy asked the Taoiseach the action, if any, he proposes to take to redress the serious depopulation of the West of Ireland; if his attention has been drawn to the current seriousness of this situation; the action, if any, that has been taken over the past year by the Government; the plans, if any, he has prepared for implementation in 1996 and beyond; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2938/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 12 together.
Report No. 97 of the National Economic and Social Council, New Approaches to Rural Development, draws attention to the serious economic and social problems facing rural areas and states that they are sufficiently important to warrant detailed analysis and sustained attention by policy makers. The decline in population levels in the west has been identified as a key policy issue for the Government.
The Government recognises the implications for the country as a whole of the continuous trend of population instability and decline in the region. For this reason a number of initiatives have been set in train to address the issues mentioned in the NESC report. These include various measures in the area of rural development, the pilot programme on public service provision in rural areas and the renewal of local government.
One of the key initiatives in addressing the problems in the western region is the work of the Western Development Partnership Board. This was established on foot of one of the key recommendations of the Government Task Force on A Crusade for Survival. The partnership board's general function is to promote the economic and social development of the region with the objective of achieving population stability by the end of the decade at 1991 Census levels on a county basis. In this regard, it has completed an action plan. The Government will respond when it has had an opportunity to consider the recommendations in the action plan.
In addition, I am undertaking an innovative pilot programme to see how best public services can be maintained in less populated rural areas. This initiative is a direct response to the NESC report's recommendation that a pilot scheme be initiated to test the practicality of adopting a "unified location-based approach to service provision".
Following widespread consultation with service providers, local development organisations and local voluntary and community groups, I have received a number of pilot project proposals. There has been an initial evaluation of these proposals and discussion with applicants. Tenders have been received for the management of the pilot programme and a contract will shortly be awarded. This pilot programme will examine how adequate access to public services can be maintained on a cost effective basis in rural areas with a low density of population. The experience will inform the development of Government policy and action in the future.
A key requirement for successfully addressing the problems facing the west is the integration of work being carried out by various Government Departments. This is being examined by the Interdepartmental Policy Committee on Local Development. In this context, the work of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry in relation to rural development is a central response by Government to the problems highlighted in the NESC report.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry has examined and implemented, where possible, the recommendations of the Government Task Force on A Crusade for Survival. In particular, changes were introduced in the milk quota regime to prevent milk production being moved from disadvantaged areas. In addition, the proposed third category of extremely disadvantaged areas, which is being examined at present, will be designed to provide increased headage payments, particularly in western areas which are suffering population decline.
The NESC report includes recommendations on the Leader programme. Leader II is being implemented by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry in a manner which is fully consistent with these recommendations. Public funding of £77 million, to be increased to £95 million later this year, has been allocated to 36 groups under the programme.
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Deputy Deenihan, has established a Rural Development Policy Advisory Group to advise him on future policy for rural development. This group will examine the NESC report in the course of its deliberations.
The Operational Programme for Agriculture, Rural Development and Forestry, with the accompanying CAP reform measures, support a wide range of actions which, as the NESC report suggests, will address the economic and social problems in rural areas by improving competitiveness and promoting farm diversification, forestry and land mobility. Questions on these matters should be addressed to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
A renewed local government system can provide a more effective focus for the delivery of a wider range of public services. It could also assist the better development of local communities and the promotion of more local development and enterprise. In The Statement on Local Government Reform of 4 July 1995, the Government announced the establishment of the Devolution Commission. Its task is to develop, for Government consideration and decision, statements of the specific steps necessary to renew the local government system. Copies of the statement have been laid before the Houses.
The commission has been mandated to make recommendations so that significant additional functions are devolved to local government; local authorities are involved with policy and administration in the case of functions not devolved directly to them; local authorities become the focus for working through local partnerships and the efforts of existing local development groups are co-ordinated.
This is a coherent and comprehensive framework in which to address the issues of depopulation and development in rural Ireland and I look forward to progress being made on all these fronts during 1996.
I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply. One of the recommendations of the NESC was that a study of settlement patterns in the west should be conducted. Is the Minister of State aware that, according to the Western Development Partnership Board, approximately 9 per cent of the population live in the north west? Apart from outlining the measures the Government has taken, will he indicate whether it will commission such a study and consider other suggestions, such as the provision of a larger allocation of Cohesion Funds in the western region?
The NESC examined the issue of settlement patterns and the Western Development Partnership Board has made certain recommendations in its action plan. This plan is being examined and any recommendations will be put to the Government as quickly as possible. Perhaps I should have taken Question No. 9 with these two questions.
Does the Minister of State believe that the measures outlined will reverse the trend of population decline in rural areas and, if so, will he explain the reason local authorities in the major cities and towns, including Dublin, Cork, Galway, Waterford, Limerick and Letterkenny, are planning for a massive increase in numbers? Will he accept that they expect the present trend of population decline in rural areas and the process of urbanisation to continue?
When I was appointed to this position the Taoiseach outlined the specific areas he wished me to examine. These included the withdrawal of public services in rural areas.
These questions relate to the depopulation of rural areas.
The NESC linked the withdrawal of these services, including the insensitive closure of post offices, particularly between 1987 and 1992, with the decision of many people to leave rural areas. We have received five or six proposals to initiate pilot schemes. These are being examined by a management team and will be proceeded with in the coming year.
I cannot wave a magic wand and in one fell swoop reverse the trend of population decline. All I can do is put a framework in place to arrest the trend. In this context, pilot schemes will be instituted to provide for the integration of public services. As the Deputy is aware, despite the best efforts of the local community in Letterfrack in his own constituency where a study was conducted, the public services which accepted the need for integration failed to come together to initiate a pilot scheme. I am making a further attempt at the behest of the NESC and the Taoiseach to see that this is done. The only people missing at the seminars I attended were the politicians.
I did not receive an invitation.
Neither did I. What the Minister of State appears to be saying is that the population trends can be corrected by keeping post offices and other public services open. Fifty per cent of the people of County Galway live within a 15 mile radius of Galway city. City and county borough plans include a 30 per cent increase in that number, the majority of whom will come from rural areas. While the small steps taken in this connection are desirable, does the Government have a mainframe plan to address the population imbalance between urban and rural areas which is widening every day and costing the economy dearly? Has the Government any plans other than those relating to local post offices?
Deputy Ó Cuív is trivialising the value of these public services.
I fought for them, but it is not enough.
The closure of Garda stations and post offices had a dire effect on population levels in the west. People left the west because those services were not available. If Deputy Ó Cúiv had attended some of the meetings that took place as a result of the closure of small post offices he would be aware of the depth of feeling about this matter in rural areas.
For the information of the Minister of State, I was the first to raise the issue of the closure of post offices, but that is not enough.
An integrated public services is not limited to post offices or Garda stations, it includes county councils, health boards, Telecom Éireann and the wide range of public services that should be available in rural areas as well as in towns. That is the framework on which I am working. This pilot programme will not be limited to stunted imaginings about post offices and the services they provide, it will be wideranging. Those who will participate in the programme want rural areas renewed.
Jim Connolly set up the rural resettlement programme, an initiative to which my Department has given substantial support. It is in line with the resettlement pattern originally put forward by Deputy Kitt. Essentially, I will abide by the guidelines set out for rural renewal and development in the NESC report.
In regard to western development, is it a fact that the only new jobs that have resulted from the Minister of State's appointment are those that were created in his Department?
That is the type of question I would expect from a person in the cosy cocoon in which Deputies from the Progressive Democrats Party reside. I have held four well attended seminars in the west and all those involved in community development support my initiative. Neither the Taoiseach nor I stated that I would promote significant job creation measures. The purpose of my initiative is to halt rural population decline. The plan of the Western Development Partnership Board was initiated by the bishops and small farmers outside Loughrea. I would not belittle that initiative and I am disappointed at the way the Deputy phrased her question. Those people feel let down by politicians who engage in this type of double-speak when referring to job creation.
That is Fianna Fáil cant. The Minister of State should draw a distinction.
I want to implement a successful pilot scheme which will provide a framework for the next Government to integrate rural services. The Western Development Partnership Board should request people in Cork and other wealthy areas to make sacrifices for the sake of the people in the west who have suffered decline for many years.
I will have to take the Minister on a conducted tour of my constituency.
I am pleased to hear the Minister refer to rural resettlement and public services for rural areas. I compliment him on the report on the islands which was greeted with great respect by the islanders. I thank the Ministers of State, Deputies Carey and Higgins, for their efforts because the people of those areas know that somebody cares about them.
Cheist uimhir a deich.
Deputy Ó Cuív's party have been around for many years and, while they talked a great deal about the islands, they did nothing for them. This Government is doing something for them.
Sin ceist uimhir a deich.
The same public transport criteria cannot be used for Belmullet, Rossport, Glenamoy and Galway and Dublin cities. Will the Minister encourage Iarnrod Éireann and Bus Éireann to adopt a more flexible attitude to the provision of public transport in sparsely populated rural areas, particularly for school children?
The voluntary rural resettlement programme initiated by Jim Connolly has been effective in retaining teachers in schools in remote rural areas where there has been a significant decline in population. I thank Deputy Ring for raising this matter and assure him that I will bring to the notice of transport companies his plea for remote areas of his constituency and western areas in general. Transport is a major problem in those areas and, as proven in the study on Letterfrack, the people in west and north-west Connemara want a good transport service.
While the Minister of State is doing everything possible to address this problem in his Department, does he agree that all Departments should give priority to the western region? A census of population is due to be carried out this year and there will be red faces if it shows a continuing depopulation of rural areas. We must do something to ensure sustainability in that region.
In the short time I have had responsibility for this area I have made substantial progress. However, I take the Deputy's point. The interdepartmental committee on the islands brought together representatives of the Departments of State and many questions were raised. Many people do not want to give up their patch. The report of the Western Development Partnership Board addressed some of the interdepartmental issues and when its recommendations are adopted by the Government we will be able to resolve at least some of the difficulties.
The Minister of State mentioned north-west Connemara. I invite him to visit north Connemara where for the past 25 years we have been successfully involved in community development. We must address the economic pressures on people in rural areas given that their taxation and telecommunications payments support services in main urban centres. Does the Minister of State intend tackling the problems in areas such as telecommunications charges where an unfair, inequitable and unjustifiable cost is placed on rural areas?
If there are major inequities——
We know that.
If the Deputy gives me definite examples of those inequities I will make representations about them.
We now proceed to questions nominated for priority to the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht. Question No. 13 is in the name of Deputy de Valera.