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Departmental Policies

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 October 2021

Wednesday, 20 October 2021

Questions (326, 327)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

326. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a six month progress report on the implementation of Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025 will be available considering the commitment to providing this as set out in the strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51384/21]

View answer

Claire Kerrane

Question:

327. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the current status of the actions set out in the Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025 work programme; if her Department will complete all scheduled actions by the end of 2021 as planned; if she will provide an update on each measure listed in the work programme in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51386/21]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 326 and 327 together.

‘Our Rural Future' is the Government's ambitious rural development policy for 2021 to 2025, and was published on 29 March.

It contains over 150 commitments across the whole-of-Government, for both short-term recovery and longer-term economic and social development in rural areas.

The policy has a five-year timeframe, with updates on delivery provided by a series of Progress Reports. Development of annual work programmes allows for the review and revision of priorities contained in the measures for delivery over the lifetime of the policy.

The 2021 Work Programme, which was drafted in conjunction with relevant Departments, contains actions which advance the delivery of more than 80 per cent of commitments in the Policy.

My Department has begun preparations for the publication of the first Progress Report, which will be published at the end of this year in order to incorporate updates on all measures contained in the 2021 Work Programme.

Further Progress Reports will be produced every six months thereafter as per the commitment in the Policy.

While work on compiling the first Progress Report is ongoing, I am delighted with the level of activity across Government in recent months to deliver on the Policy’s ambition.  This has seen investment provided for rural communities across a range of areas such as local transport and active travel, remote working facilities and digital connectivity, and huge levels of support for important projects under my Department’s Rural Development Investment Programme.

We have also seen, for example, the launch of the agri-food strategy Food Vision 2030 and the Pathways to Work 2021-2025 Strategy, the publication of the Maritime Area Planning Bill and launch of the National Marine Planning Framework, and the formal establishment of Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest at the start of this month. The revised National Development Plan, published in recent weeks, also significantly reinforces the objectives of Our Rural Future.

Question No. 327 answered with Question No. 326.
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