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Rural Development Plan

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 January 2021

Thursday, 21 January 2021

Ceisteanna (150, 152, 153)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

150. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which young persons seeking to remain resident in their native areas can be facilitated throughout rural areas, thereby assuring the future of schools, shops and community life while maintaining good environmental and planning practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3509/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

152. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which he expects his Department to be in a position to resist the depopulation of rural Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3511/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

153. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has identified the main factors contributing to the decline in the population of rural Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3512/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 150, 152 and 153 together.

In response to the Deputy’s questions, work is currently underway on a new Rural Development Strategy ‘Our Rural Future’, by the Department of Rural and Community Development and on updated rural settlement guidelines within my own Department.

It is clear from work undertaken by both Departments and informed by Census data, that population growth and decline in rural Ireland is uneven. There is wide geographic variation in rural population change with some rural areas experiencing population growth while others have experienced decline. Rural areas that recorded population growth are generally close to larger towns and cities, while those distant from, or inaccessible to, these centres have generally experienced decline.

While the proportion of the population classified as ‘rural’ (‘aggregate rural’ definition includes all settlements with a population below 1,500 persons) has reduced, the actual number of people living in rural areas as a whole, has remained relatively constant over the past fifty years.

The National Planning Framework (NPF) fully supports the concept of the sustainable development of rural areas and recognises the distinction between growth and decline by encouraging growth and arresting decline in areas that have experienced low population growth or decline in recent decades, while also highlighting the need to manage certain areas around cities and towns that are under strong urban influence and under pressure from unsustainable overdevelopment. This is reflected in National Policy Objective (NPO) 15 of the NPF.

In terms of sustainable housing in rural areas, Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing 2005, similarly require planning authorities to frame the planning policies in their development plans in a balanced and measured way that ensures the housing needs of rural communities are met, while avoiding excessive urban-generated housing. The Guidelines identify a clear distinction between rural area types and include different approaches to urban and rural generated housing.

The NPF provides an important strategic basis for interpreting the 2005 Guidelines and in particular, the distinction between urban and rural generated housing.

In this regard, NPO 19 of the NPF aims to ensure that a policy distinction is made between areas experiencing significant overspill development pressure from urban areas, particularly within the commuter catchment of cities, towns and centres of employment, on the one hand, and other remoter and weaker rural areas where population levels may be low and or declining, on the other.

NPO19 is also aligned with the established approach whereby considerations of social (intrinsic part of the community) or economic (persons working full or part time) need may be applied by planning authorities in rural areas under urban influence.

The NPF acknowledges that rural settlements are not suitable for a suburban or a high density approach to development and tailored design approaches are needed. The NPF also recognises that in rural Ireland many people seek to have an opportunity to build their own homes. Under National Policy Objective 18b my Department is committed to developing a programme with local authorities, public infrastructure agencies such as Irish Water and local communities for the provision of serviced sites for housing to attract people to build their own homes and live in small towns and villages and this is also reflected in the Programme for Government (PFG).

The Government has provided a strong national policy response that seeks to revitalise rural towns and villages by attracting new residents. In this context, the Programme for Government has committed in outline to the development of a Town Centre First (TCF) policy. An inter-Departmental Group (IDG), was established at the end of 2020 and is currently undertaking an initial scoping of the policy proposal with recommendations to be developed over the coming months. A parallel, advisory group has also been established, to enable the experiences of a broader group of stakeholders to be brought to bear in informing the process of policy development.

These commitments will be complemented and supported by the updated rural action plan which is being prepared by the Department of Rural and Community Development. Further, given developments in the interim, the 2005 Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines are being updated, in a broader rural development and settlement context.

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