Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 December 2016
315. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the status of the commitment that a wide-ranging rural development policy framework will be developed by the end of 2016 and will feed into the development of the national planning framework due to be completed by the end of 2016 following the publication of the rural charter in January 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40821/16]
View answerThe Charter for Rural Ireland was published in January 2016 and contained a number of commitments to support the economic, social and cultural development of rural areas. The Charter included a commitment to develop a policy framework which would feed in to the new National Planning Framework (NPF) which is currently being developed by the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. The NPF will be finalised in 2017, and will be a strategy for the place-based development of Ireland over the period to 2040.
As the Deputy will be aware, I am currently finalising an Action Plan for Rural Development which goes further than the commitment in the Charter for Rural Ireland to deliver a rural development policy framework. The Action Plan will act as an overarching structure for the co-ordination and implementation of initiatives right across Government which will benefit rural Ireland.
My officials are liaising with the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to ensure that the Action Plan for Rural Development feeds into the development of the NPF and helps to shape the ambitions for rural Ireland.
