Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 May 1996

Vol. 466 No. 2

Written Answers. - Regional Policy for the West.

Michael P. Kitt

Question:

9 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Taoiseach if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Western Development Partnership Board has stated that 7 per cent of the population live in the north-west and that small rural towns have experienced depopulation and emigration: and whether the Government has a regional policy for the west. [10943/96]

The Taoiseach

The Government is fully committed to supporting the development of the west. This commitment has been clearly demonstrated by the appointment of my colleague, Deputy Carey as Minister of State for Western Development and Rural Renewal.

As Minister of State with particular responsibility for western development, the Minister of State Deputy Carey, has responsibility for co-ordinating the Government's response to addressing the primary issue of population decline which has a greater effect on the western region than any other area in the country.

In respect of his particular brief, there are three key initiatives which support and we compliment the Government's overall efforts to support the development of the west. These initiatives are the action plan of the Western Development Partnership Board; the co-ordination of the Government's response to improving and developing the standard of living of our offshore island communities and the implementation of a pilot programme on public service provision in rural areas.

The action plan for western development, recently launched by the Western Development Partnership Board, provides a strategic focus for the economic and social development of the west. The Government response to the plan has been positive and includes a number of important initiatives which will be coordinated by the Minister of State, Deputy Carey. These initiatives include the establishment of a Western Investment Fund to provide long-term venture capital and a Western Development Commission to replace the Western Development Partnership Board on the completion of its term of office at the end of this year.

The achievement of population stability is a central theme of the Western Development Partnership Board's action plan. The Taoiseach announced recently, in response to a recommendation in the board's plan, that the National Economic and Social Council is to undertake a study on settlement patterns in the interests of a more balanced population distribution.

In addition, the Government has agreed to the setting up of a working group of departmental officials whose task will be to develop proposals for the design and operation of agricultural and fisheries policies which will more adequately secure the future of low intensity farms and small scale marine enterprises. This initiative demonstrates the Government's support for the view that the future viability of rural communities is rooted in a strong agricultural base. This will have a particular significance for communities in the west.

The pilot programme initiative for the development of a more integrated approach to the delivery of public services in remote rural areas is a direct response to one of the key recommendations in the National Economic and Social Council's reportNew Approaches to Rural Development. The assessment of the proposals for inclusion in the programme are at an advanced stage and my colleague plans to announce shortly the establishment of a number of pilot projects to be located in the western region.

The report of the Interdepartmental Co-ordinating Committee on Island Development, which the Minister of State, Deputy Carey chairs, established a coherent and comprehensive basis for Government policy in relation to the economic and social development of our offshore communities. This committee has been given a three year mandate and will report to Government annually.

Through the implementation of these innovative initiatives which the Minister of State, Deputy Carey is overseeing and the positive response which the action plan of the Western Development Partnership Board has received, the Government has demonstrated in a significant way its continuing commitment to addressing issues of particular concern to the west.