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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 21 Oct 2003

Vol. 572 No. 6

Written Answers. - Rural Development.

Ciarán Cuffe

Ceist:

80 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the way in which the Government intends to be proactive in the area of rural development; and the extent to which the shared experiences of European countries in this are to be used, as stated in a recent speech made in Killarney. [24022/03]

Billy Timmins

Ceist:

94 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the proposals his Department will put forward to ensure the continued sustainability of rural communities and to ensure that such ex-farm families will remain in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24141/03]

Simon Coveney

Ceist:

95 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the input his Department will have in to the guidelines for rural housing development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24137/03]

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

100 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the extent to which he has made recommendations, amendments or has given instructions or directions in regard to dispersed rural housing, having regard to his widely publicised views on the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24040/03]

Paul Nicholas Gogarty

Ceist:

141 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his input at the recent Irish Rural Dwellers Association conference in Caherciveen, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24024/03]

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

386 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the extent to which he intends to assist rural communities in their efforts to combat isolation and deficiency of services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24265/03]

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

388 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the extent to which he has examined the causes of rural depopulation; his plans to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24267/03]

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

393 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the way in which he proposes to assist rural applicants for planning permission who have been unsuccessful in their applications, with particular reference to his supportive statements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24274/03]

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

394 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his Department has been in contact with An Taisce with a view to dissuading its objections in respect of planning applications by residents of rural areas who wish to continue to live in rural Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24275/03]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 80, 94, 95, 100, 141, 386, 388, 393 and 394 together.

My Department is committed to maintaining the maximum number of people in rural areas and to strengthening rural communities economically, socially and culturally. As pointed out in the national spatial strategy, in many rural areas the combination of a high dependency on a changing agricultural base, a scarcity of employment opportunities and resultant out-migration, has weakened their demographic, economic, social and physical structure.

In my statement welcoming the publication of the national spatial strategy last November, I said the strategy sets down clear markers for the way ahead in rural development. The strategy addresses many of my concerns in relation to such issues as rural housing, services and cultural identity. The rural settlement policy framework contained in the NSS, which represents overall government policy on rural housing, aims to sustain and renew established rural communities, while strengthening the structure of villages and smaller settlements to support local economies, ensuring that key assets in rural areas are protected to support quality of life and ensuring also that rural settlement policies are responsive to the differing local circumstances in different areas.

In my address at the recent Irish Rural Dwellers Association conference in Caherciveen, I reiterated the statement in the White Paper on Rural Development that

To achieve the aim of a balanced rural population, planning policy should, as far as possible, facilitate people willing to settle in rural areas, especially those wishing to remain in their own areas of origin. At the same time as respecting the aspirations of the rural community, planning policy must be sensitive to the conservation of the rural environment, including preservation of natural beauty spots and natural habitats.

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is currently at an advanced stage in preparing rural housing guidelines which I will shortly be consulted on. The intention is to issue them as a public consultation document before the end of the year. The guidelines will also be aimed, through the operation of the planning system, at securing greater public awareness of the issues involved in rural settlement policies and greater consensus on the practical implementation of those policies. I have not been in contact with An Taisce in relation to planning applications.
Government policy on rural development is set out in the White Paper published in 1999. The policy agenda is a broad one, involving the remit of many of my colleagues in Government and their related agencies. It covers such issues as agriculture, infrastructure, transport, environment, health and education and the challenge is to ensure coherence in pursuing our rural development objectives.
For example, in the recent CAP reform negotiations, my colleague the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Walsh, generally achieved Ireland's objectives. We have a balanced outcome that will reshape the Common Agriculture Policy and secure its future in making it more relevant to modern society. The reform of CAP will help safeguard the rural economy and environment.
In the case of my own Department, the LEADER+ programme is an EU initiative designed to encourage the implementation of integrated, high-quality and innovative strategies in rural communities. The initiative is delivered by 22 local action groups. The allocation for LEADER+ for the period 2000-2006 is €73.6 million and the initiative is co-funded by the EU.
The national rural development programme closely complements the Leader+ initiative but focuses more on mainstream activities, primarily rural/agri-tourism. It is operated by 13 local groups. Again an element of innovation is required for all activities funded. The allocation for 2000-06 is €75.7 million, again co-funded by the EU.
As mentioned earlier in my reply, factors such as a high dependency on a changing agricultural base and a scarcity of employment opportunities have contributed towards a decline in rural population. In response, I introduced the CLÁR programme in October 2001 to address depopulation as well as the decline and lack of services in rural areas. Areas in 18 counties have been selected under this programme. This number includes areas I announced last January in honouring the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government to review the areas in light of the 2002 population census results. These areas suffered the greatest population decline from 1926 to 2002 with an average population loss of 50%. The exception is the Cooley Peninsula, which was included based on the serious difficulties caused there by foot and mouth disease.
The measures introduced under the pro gramme reflect the priorities identified by the communities in the selected areas whom I consulted at the outset. These measures support physical, community and social infrastructure across a variety of measures such as electricity conversion, roads, water and sewerage, village enhancement, health broadband and sports projects. They are, for the most part, operated in tandem with the lead Departments or public utilities, as appropriate, thus ensuring efficiency and effectiveness as well as meeting the needs of the people in the CLÁR areas.
I am also interested in assessing the effects of placing development workers in rural communities as a method of expediting rural development and reducing poverty. For this purpose, I announced funding for four pilot projects in May 2002, aimed at testing the success of development workers in regenerating particularly disadvantaged rural areas. These projects are operating through a variety of community-based initiatives. They are intended to help reduce rural deprivation in the long-term by creating sustainable development. The initiative is being supported from the rural development fund of my Department. The purpose of the fund is to finance research, evaluation and pilot actions to provide information and advice for policy makers on important rural development issues.
Last month I announced that Fitzpatrick Associates, economic consultants, have been appointed to carry out a review of enterprise support in rural areas. This review will analyse official enterprise support (including tourism enterprise) already available in rural areas. The greater Dublin area, gateways, hubs and their areas of influence will be excluded from the analysis. This will ensure that the focus remains on regions that have not benefited from urban-generated economic growth. The way in which existing supports are delivered will be examined, particularly with regard to EU state aid law, the national spatial strategy and Exchequer financial constraints. Also to be reviewed is the number and role of agencies needed to optimise enterprise development in rural areas and yet avoid unnecessary duplication.
In addition, my Department funds the Western Development Commission, whose functions include promoting, fostering and encouraging economic and social development in the western region and the operation of the western investment fund. Activities include policy analysis and review which feed in turn into policy development and planning in my Department. At my request, the commission is now developing a strategy for towns on radial routes in its region to maximise the benefits of the national spatial strategy, major roads investment, the strategic rail review and decentralisation.
My Department also supports the Gaeltacht areas through a range of measures. All of these are aimed at the promotion of sustainable and culturally vibrant communities and the maintenance and strengthening of the use of the Irish lan guage. Last year for example capital grants exceeding €16.5 million from my Department were approved for the improvement of Gaeltacht infrastructure, including roads, marine works, village renewal and various recreational facilities such as community centres, playing fields and other such amenities. A further €4.7 million was expended by my Department in 2002 under the Gaeltacht Housing Acts in order to further improve the housing stock in the Gaeltacht. My Department continues to support Gaeltacht households who provide suitable accommodation for learners of Irish who attend Irish language summer colleges. My Department also provided €1.5 million last year for various organisations working in the Gaeltacht to maintain and strengthen the Irish language and culture there.
Údaras na Gaeltachta, which, as the Deputies are aware, discharges its responsibilities through a range of socio-economic activities in the Gaeltacht, received a total of €42.9 million from my Department last year to allow it to continue with the development of the Gaeltacht economy and the preservation of the Irish language.
The budget for islands in 2003 is €80.479 million, and will continue the work of ensuring the provision of services and infrastructure on the islands. In terms of advancing rural development generally at both EU and national level, the Deputy can be assured that I and my Department are availing of a range of opportunities, to meet this challenge agenda.
The next meeting of the National Rural Development Forum on 7 November will consider principles and challenges of rural development. Given the lapse of time and other significant developments since its publication a review of the White Paper on Rural Development is also in prospect.
In summary, my Department is unstinting in seeking to advance measures to support rural development through the provision of community focused schemes which deliver tangible benefits to thousands across our towns, villages and countryside, policy research and related measures, and critical innovations in support of enterprise and infrastructure across rural Ireland.
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