In accordance with the commitment in the White Paper, the National Rural Development Forum has been established in order to debate current issues, review existing programmes and identify suitable policy responses to rural problems. Its membership is broadly representative, from Departments and State agencies to the social partners and the wider voluntary and community sector. The forum was first convened in May 2000 and has met on two occasions since then. Issues discussed at previous meetings of the forum included progress on the implementation of the White Paper on Rural Development, the National Spatial Strategy, rural transport, rural tourism, rural planning and financial services in rural areas. I propose to have the next meeting of the forum in the near future.