Skip to main content
Normal View

Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 February 2018

Wednesday, 21 February 2018

Questions (63)

Willie Penrose

Question:

63. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a status and implementation report on the Action Plan for Rural Development will be provided; the main progress made in 2017; the expected progress in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8510/18]

View answer

Written answers

The Action Plan for Rural Development was published in January 2017. The Plan contains over 270 actions for delivery across a range of Government Departments, State agencies and other organisations to support the economic and social progress of rural Ireland.

My Department has been liaising with our implementation partners since late last year with a view to compiling the second six-monthly Progress Report on the implementation of the Action Plan. The Monitoring Committee for the Action Plan will meet this week to consider the draft Progress Report and I expect to be in a position to publish the report in the coming weeks.

I intend that the Action Plan will continue to deliver progress on rural development issues across Government in 2018. In terms of actions being progressed by my own Department, I am pleased to report that many of the funding schemes run by my Department which were such an outstanding success in the first year of the Action Plan's implementation, such as Town and Village Renewal, Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure, CLÁR, and the Local Improvement Scheme, will also be run again in 2018.

I would also note that the recently launched Project Ireland 2040, gives clear support to the objectives of the Action Plan for Rural Development. One of the ten strategic objectives set in the National Planning Framework is to ensure strengthened rural economies and communities. The NPF highlights both the continued potential of the traditional pillars of the rural economy as well as the opportunities that will arise through new technologies and investment.

In addition to funding across sectors such as transport, tourism, energy and communications, the National Development Plan commits to establishing a Rural Regeneration and Development Fund which will provide €1bn over ten years to support the sustainable growth of towns, villages and rural areas. This will support the achievement of the objective of strengthened rural economies and communities.

Top
Share