Rural areas would be significantly affected by proposals

RURAL areas would be affected significantly by spending cuts recommended in the Bord Snip report which include the closure of at least half the country’s garda stations and up to 1,000 small primary schools.

The Government was urged to look at the social implications of the recommendations and not just what they could achieve economically, when deciding which proposals to implement.

Farm income cuts are recommended including the termination of grant aid including REPS and the Suckler Cow Scheme and reduce spending on the Disadvantaged Area Compensatory Allowance Scheme by 30%.

Among the other proposals that would effect rural life are:

* An increase in the annual school bus ticket fee to €500 per child.

* Cuts in public transport and road maintenance and improvement.

* Stopping funding of the Rural Transport Scheme.

* The amalgamation of small, mostly rural, primary schools which could see up to 1,000 closing.

* A reduction in the allocation for island infrastructure.

* A reduction in a number of Gaeltacht grants.

* Close the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Fine Gael said many of the recommendations “raise questions for our society that economists are ill-equipped to answer.”

Finance spokesperson, Richard Bruton said: “The closure of small schools, of small Garda stations and of rural transport schemes will damage the fabric of life in isolated communities. This is a matter of values, not economic analysis.”

Labour Party leader, Eamon Gilmore said: “This is Ireland as viewed from the snug of Doheny and Nesbitts.

“There is a proposal to amalgamate small primary schools, presumably in rural areas. At the same time there’s a proposal to close about half the garda stations in the country. You need to consider the impact of what that does to village life.

“There is also a proposal in relation to the school transport system which is based on an assumption that there is going to be a reduced number of people looking for school transport. If you close small primary schools it seems to me you are going to have more people looking for school transport.”