Gaeltacht Minister says Budget good for rural Ireland

The Minister for Rural and Gaeltacht affairs, Eamon O'Cuiv, is welcoming the decision by Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy, to relocate some Government departments to regional centres under the long-planned decentralisation scheme.

Eight government departments are to move out of Dublin under the plan.

Minister McCreevy has made it clear that the decentralisation plan is non-compulsory for civil servants.

Eamon O'Cuiv's department are to move to Knock in Co Mayo.

The Minister is also welcoming the new Rural Social Scheme announced in the Budget yesterday, which he says will be a major boost for rural Ireland.

The focus of the scheme is to provide ongoing income and employment support to small farmers who can no longer make a viable living on the land.

Minister O’Cuiv says the scheme will tackle the problems of under-income and lack of services in rural communities.