Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 December 2021
94. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans to develop a pilot scheme to support the use of rural pubs and other local spaces as community hubs for local services as outlined in Our Rural Future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60244/21]
View answerThe Government’s ambitious new five year policy for rural Ireland, Our Rural Future, commits to the development of a pilot scheme to support the use of rural pubs as community spaces and hubs for local services.
The Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) have submitted an application for funding to develop a pilot project. Through the pilot, it is envisaged that a small number of pubs would explore how they might be used as community spaces and hubs for local services.
The pubs to be included in the pilot will be identified by the VFI in consultation with its members and they will work with community stakeholders locally to identify the interventions that might be supported at the identified locations.
My officials are considering this application and further details will be announced shortly.
