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Rural Development.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 March 2004

Tuesday, 9 March 2004

Questions (54, 55, 56)

Liam Twomey

Question:

129 Dr. Twomey asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of the 2,500 rural community employment positions announced in the recent budget which will be available to County Wexford; and if his Department has decided on projects for funding of rural development as proposed under the Fischler reforms. [7581/04]

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John Perry

Question:

137 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he expects that his Department will receive a portion of CAP funds for rural development initiatives; the percentage share he expects this to be; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7629/04]

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Bernard Allen

Question:

173 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he expects that his Department will receive a portion of CAP funds for rural development initiatives; the percentage share he expects this to be; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7664/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 129, 137 and 173 together.

In my reply to Questions Nos. 130 and 131 of 4 February 2004 I outlined the background and the qualifying criteria for the rural social scheme. I am currently preparing detailed proposals for Government on the scheme. It has been clear for some time that farming alone can no longer sustain rural populations. Rural dwellers, most of whom are no longer farmers, expect and demand a standard of living comparable with that of urban dwellers and will rightly settle for nothing less. Therefore, new ways must be found to address the needs of rural dwellers. I firmly believe that EU rural policy must take account of this reality.

I made it clear in an address to the European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development earlier this year that any new policy proposals must recognise that rural areas must have multidimensional development policies and that a total dependence on agriculture will not sustain the population in rural areas; contain clear spatial strategies, ensuring the continued maintenance and growth of rural populations; and target funding for rural areas to ensurethat infrastructure deficits in roads, telecommunications, water, public transport and so on do not inhibit rural growth. These funds in particular need to be targeted at declining and peripheral areas.

The conclusion of the mid-term review of the Common Agricultural Policy in 2003 gave the clearest possible signal from the European Union that rural development policy is central to the future development of an enlarged Community. The Commission has indicated that it will bring forward new proposals later this year for a new community rural development programme to commence under the next round of EU funding. I hope the Commission agrees with my views on future rural development policy and that the proposals will reflect strong support for a multidimensional, multifunctional rural economy. My Department will engage positively in any negotiations to ensure that the necessary rural community initiatives are adopted. In the meantime the Leader+ programme and the area-based rural development initiative, implemented by my Department and involving almost €150 million of public funding, continue to perform an invaluable function in empowering rural communities and priming the rural economy in every region and county in Ireland.

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