Special Report (Rural Ireland): Decline has been a political hot potato

The decline in rural Ireland today could have been foretold 50 years ago, writes Michael Clifford. 

It was obvious from the mid-1960s that the character of the country would change in a major way because of all the forces of modernity.

In fact, the government of the day was well aware of it. A report was commissioned to determine the best way forward and that report was duly ignored.