Burton coy on plans to abolish rural development firms

Social Protection Minister Joan Burton yesterday refused to be drawn on the controversy surrounding the Government’s plans to abolish EU-backed rural development companies.

Cabinet colleague Phil Hogan, the environment minister, is proposing to replace the community-based companies with socio-economic committees at county level which would operate under the control of county councils.

The proposal is being strongly opposed by companies in Cork and Kerry which have already met with Ms Burton, who yesterday opened a new one-stop shop office for one such company, South Kerry Development Partnership (SKDP) in Killarney.