Rural interests must not be ‘diluted’

CLARITY has been sought from the Government that it has not diluted rural and regional development in the Cabinet reshuffle.

It followed the dropping of “rural” from the title of the new Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Irish Rural Link, the national network of rural community groups, said it was seeking reassurance that the move does not represent the Government bowing to calls to favour cities to the detriment of the rest of the country.

IRL chief executive Seamus Boland said rural and regional development is not about maintaining some rural idyll.

It affects the 40% of the population who live outside the cities but who find it more difficult to access services and opportunities.

“As we understand, the rural development functions remain, in the main, with the new Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs but require clarity.

“Policy for rural areas must aim to build a rural economy with competitive enterprises and this requires co-ordinated policies tailored to rural areas, which takes rural circumstances into accounts,” he said.

Mr Boland said earlier this month Google’s Dublin-based vice president for Global Ad Operations suggested that Ireland’s future economic growth must be Dublin-based with less concern for the regions.

In an evaluation paper to An Bord Snip, the Department of Finance said that “investing in areas with very low populations cannot be seen as a priority in the current economic climate”.

And a InterTrade Ireland report focuses on infrastructure investment in the cities to the detriment of the areas in between.

“We hope the Government remain committed to rural and regional development and have not bowed to interests who ignore the needs and strengths of the rural population,” he said.