Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021
452. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the rural settlement policy will be reviewed to address the chronic shortage of available housing for sale in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21400/21]
View answerThe National Planning Framework (NPF) fully supports the concept of the sustainable development of rural areas by encouraging their growth and prosperity while also seeking to arrest the decline in areas that have experienced low population growth in recent decades. Chapter 5.3 ‘Planning for the Future Growth and Development of Rural Areas’ of the NPF features several specific National Policy Objectives (NPOs) that aim to support the overall rural and small town pattern of development in Ireland and deliver strengthened and diversified rural communities.
In particular, the NPF also recognises that in rural Ireland many people seek to have an opportunity to build their own homes. Under National Policy Objective 18b my Department is committed to developing a programme with local authorities, public infrastructure agencies such as Irish Water and local communities for the provision of serviced sites for housing to attract people to build their own homes and live in small towns and villages.
The Programme for Government (PFG) also recognises the challenges faced by towns and villages in rural areas and their need to function as viable and vibrant locations for people to live and work, through the development of a ‘Town Centre First’ (TCF) policy. With a view to giving effect to this commitment and the actions outlined in the PFG, a TCF Inter-Departmental Group (IDG) was established in November 2020 to consider the regeneration of our towns and villages.
The IDG is jointly chaired by my Department and the Department of Rural and Community Development. In parallel, a Town Centre First Advisory Group was also established to enable the experiences of a broader group of stakeholders to be brought to bear in informing the process of policy development, and will support the work of the IDG. The aim is that the IDG will provide recommendations for consideration by Government in June. It is envisaged that recommendations will cover the short, medium and longer-term out to 2040, to align with Project Ireland 2040.
Further support to the development of rural Ireland is available through the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF), one of the “Four Funds” under the National Development Plan which is a commitment of €1 billion by government to be invested in rural Ireland over the period 2019 to 2027.
The RRDF provides an unprecedented opportunity to support the revitalisation of rural Ireland, to make a significant and sustainable impact on rural communities, and to address de-population in small rural towns, villages and rural areas. It will be a key instrument to support the objectives of the National Planning Framework, and in particular to achieve Strengthened Rural Economies and Communities – one of the National Strategic Outcomes of Project Ireland 2040.
