Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 February 2022
67. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the way her Department has engaged with and fed into the recently launched Connecting Ireland transport incentive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8611/22]
View answerOur Rural Future 2021-2025 is the Government's national rural development policy. It setsout an ambitious blueprint for the development of, and investment in, rural Ireland over a five-year period.
It is a whole-of-Government policy, and the more than 150 measures set out within it are being delivered by the Departments with responsibility for the relevant policy areas, including the Department of Transport.
Our Rural Future was developed following extensive consultation with rural stakeholders and communities, and issues of rural transport provision featured strongly in those discussions. The policy was developed on the basis of these consultations, leading to a strong focus on improving the provision of transport and other services in rural areas.
Publication of the first Our Rural Future Progress Report, which will provide updates on actions detailed in the policy's 2021 Work Programme, is imminent. These include rural transport measures such as the expansion of Local Link services in counties Kerry, Leitrim and Laois-Offaly, investments in greenways and active travel infrastructure, as well as other public transport upgrades.
One dedicated action relates to the Connecting Ireland consultation process and the proposal to expand the public transport network in rural areas and to increase service levels.
My Department is currently developing the Our Rural Future 2022 Work Programme. My Officials have met bilaterally with a range of Departments as part of this process, including a dedicated meeting with the Department of Transport, which included consideration of discussion further rural transport measures that can be delivered in 2022 and included in the Work Programme. My Department expects to continue this engagement during the lifespan of Our Rural Future, to support the measures for delivery and the Department of Transport’s own strategy development.
