Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 November 2020
40. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the new rural policy promised in the programme for Government which is planned to build on the Action Plan for Rural Development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34148/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government committed to publishing and implementing a new Rural Policy to build on the progress of the Action Plan for Rural Development and to promote rural recovery and development in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. My Department is currently finalising this new policy, which will have a five year horizon.
The new policy will be forward-looking and ambitious. It will seek to strengthen and build resilience in our rural economies and communities and will identify policy measures for delivery in order to achieve these objectives.
The new policy will recognise that strong rural economies and communities are vital in supporting our national recovery and enhancing our nationwide wellbeing. It will also emphasise the interdependence between urban and rural areas in this regard. As was the case with the Action Plan for Rural Development, the new policy will reflect a whole-of-Government commitment to rural Ireland.
The process of developing the policy has included a wide range of consultation events with key stakeholders, including Government Departments, State agencies, rural stakeholder groups, young people, and the wider public. The insights and views captured through this extensive consultation process have helped to identify the issues that matter to people living and working in rural Ireland.
Over the past months, my Department has held a series of further discussions with key stakeholders to explore the short and longer-term impacts of COVID-19 on rural communities and economies and identify actions required to assist rural areas to recover from COVID-19. I hosted a public webinar on the topic on 24th September.
The inputs from these consultations are being factored in to the drafting of the policy and I anticipate that the final policy will be submitted to Government for approval in the near future, prior to its publication.
