Jack Wall
Question:73 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his Department’s priorities in regard to rural development in 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16802/04]
View answerThursday, 3 June 2004
Questions (81)
Written answers
The rural development goal of my Department is to promote and maintain living and working populations in rural areas by helping to foster sustainable and culturally vibrant communities there. My priorities in this regard are: strengthening services and infrastructure for rural communities; advancing policy at EU and national level in support of the development of the rural economy; ensuring supports for rural enterprise and research are in place and properly founded; and securing additional income support for those engaged in farming but deriving inadequate income therefrom. To secure these priorities my Department is, or will undertake, the following: implementation of the rural social scheme; implementing the CLÁR and Leader programmes; complete the review or rural enterprise supports and ensure appropriate follow up action; review the rural development fund; convene an autumn meeting of the national rural development forum to review and advance key policy issues; continue cross-Border co-operation in rural development including the continued implementation of the rural development aspects of the INTERREG and PEACE programmes; support the Western Development Commission in its work; and lead the rural development co-ordinating committee under the NDP.
I should also mention that my Department organised and managed the EU Presidency conference on rural development which I hosted in Westport earlier this week, as well as a joint Conference with the EU Commission in Galway last week on territorial cohesion.
At EU level, significant proposals are anticipated in relation to rural development policy in the post 2006 period. My Department has, and will continue to be, actively involved in the policy agenda, which will be of key importance for rural communities across the EU in the years ahead.
Question No. 74 answered with QuestionNo. 39.
Questions Nos. 75 and 76 answered with Question No. 14.