Macra welcomes launch of rural plan

Macra has welcomed the launch of the Action Plan for Rural Ireland, but warned it must be “fully resourced with a dedicated budget to ensure that the full potential of rural Ireland can be realised”.

Key actions of the plan, which was launched last week by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Heather Humphreys, include supporting the creation of 135,000 jobs by 2020 by assisting indigenous businesses, investing €50m for collaborative approaches to job creation in the regions, and increasing Foreign Direct Investment by up to 40%.

A range of initiatives will also be implemented to rejuvenate more than 600 rural and regional towns, and the preparation for the rollout of high-speed broadband will also be fast-tracked.