Greater tax relief for firms urged
IRL claimed that rural counties and communities have suffered major setbacks in recent years with various medium to large manufacturing businesses closing down due to specific problems as competing with lower cost economies around the world.
The likes of Donegal, Mayo, Kerry many other rural counties have suffered such setbacks in recent times.
Chief executive Séamus Boland said there is a lot of frustration and anger among rural people who want to work in an area that is in or near to where they live but who are unable to do so due to the fact that there is very little employment opportunities.
“It is equally frustrating for entrepreneurs who are looking to set up a business in rural areas and are unable to do so due to geographical difficulties and lack of funding as a result of location.”
Mr Boland praised the work done by various state agencies, such as Enterprise Ireland, IDA, Western Development Commission, but said more needs to be done at governmental level and EU level to support small to medium sized enterprises.
IRL research and communications officer Ian Russell said it was time to rethink how rural development funds are spent.
“Unfortunately, at times it appears that farmers feel that this money is for agriculture and agriculture alone but it is about time that more of these monies are directed into other rural enterprises,” he said.
IRL pledged at the conference to place childcare, transport, enterprise creation and community support at the heart of the rural agenda in the run-up to the negotiations for the next national agreement.
Mr Russell said there was an air of expectation that the next agreement needs to begin to tackle the quality of life issues that affect everyone’s lives but needs specific measures for rural issues.
“Rural communities want to see a substantial increase in funding.
“Rural communities want to see a re-commitment to creating sustainable rural communities that will provide quality services to their inhabitants,” he said.
