Policies to bring back vibrancy to our small towns

As somebody who grew up in a remote area in rural Waterford, I have watched with despondency as the Irish countryside has become increasingly denuded of economic activity, social vibrancy and young people.

A couple of years ago, I was in a pub in San Francisco and counted over 15 people from my small parish.

None of the 15, to my knowledge, was there due to a lack of economic opportunity, but rather out of a desire to live in a large vibrant city and enjoy the many attributes that flow from that.