Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 September 2020
258. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Community and Rural Development and the Islands her plans to encourage job creation in rural areas nationwide; the degree to which she has in mind specific targets in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24565/20]
View answerMy Department is currently developing the next phase of rural development policy, which will set out measures to support the economic and social needs of rural areas over the period 2020-2025, including actions to support employment in rural areas. As was the case with the Action Plan for Rural Development 2017-2019 which I published in 2017, the new policy will reflect a whole-of-Government commitment to rural Ireland.
One of the key objectives of the Action Plan was to support enterprise growth and job creation in rural areas. The coordinated approach of the Plan contributed to increased employment in the regions and increased investment in projects and communities across the country.
Overall employment in the regions increased to over 146,000 people employed outside of Dublin between 2015 and 2018. This surpassed the Government’s target of increasing employment outside of Dublin by 135,000 by 2020.
66% of new jobs created by Enterprise Ireland client companies in 2019 were outside the Dublin region, while 57% of jobs created by IDA Ireland’s client companies have now been created outside of the Dublin region.
The Regional Enterprise Plans, overseen by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, play a particularly important role in supporting job creation in the regions. My own Department also contributes directly to job creation in rural areas through programmes such the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and LEADER. LEADER is a multi-annual programme which has a budget of €250 million over the period to 2020 and has a job creation target of 3,100 over the lifetime of the programme.
The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund will provide investment of €1 billion into rural areas over the period 2019-2027. These projects will have a transformational effect on towns, villages and rural areas across Ireland and further support job creation.
