It’s time to have your say on the future of Rural Ireland.
Galway East TD and Minister for Rural Affairs Seán Canney is encouraging the public to take part in a survey on Rural Ireland as part of a consultation process to develop a whole-of-Government policy for the next five years.
The online survey will seek views on the key challenges and opportunities for rural communities.
Minister Canney said: “The consultation process is being run by my department, the Department of Rural and Community Development.
“It is vital that our strategies for Rural Ireland are developed in conjunction with our rural communities so that they can have a direct input into the development of policy for the period 2020-2025.
“We want a forward-looking strategy that will build on the progress that has been made over the last three years through the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development.”
The new policy will take account of demographic and social trends within rural communities with increased focus on the changing nature of work, the effects of Brexit and climate action.
Minister Canney added: “We want to strengthen our rural communities and enable them to reach their full potential. I would encourage everyone to participate in the survey so that all ideas and opinions inform our plans for the future.”
The survey is available online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CTPVSHB until Friday October 11.

EDITORS NOTE
Notes to editors:

Realising our Rural Potential, the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development was published in January 2017. The Plan was the first ever whole-of-Government approach to rural development, containing over 270 actions for delivery across Government, State agencies and other bodies, to support the economic and social progress of rural Ireland. The Action Plan has been a key vehicle for implementation of the Government’s support for rural development over the last three years, and the implementation rate of measures contained in the Plan continues to be very high.

The Department of Rural and Community Development is now developing a new rural policy for Ireland, to follow on from the Action Plan for Rural Development which reaches the end of its three-year life cycle at the end of 2019. The new policy will reflect a whole-of-Government commitment to rural Ireland and will take account of other key policy initiatives such as Project Ireland 2040, Future Jobs Ireland and the Government’s Climate Action Plan.

The new rural policy will be forward-looking, with a 5-year time frame, and will focus on strengthening our rural communities and economies. It will take account of emerging economic, societal and international developments. These include changing demographics within rural communities, the increasing focus on climate change adaptation, diversification in the agri-food sector, the next version of the CAP and LEADER programmes, new ways of working and the changing nature of jobs, and Brexit.

In order to develop the new policy, the Department of Rural and Community Development has held a series of consultation workshops over the last number of months to obtain stakeholder views facing rural Ireland. Following on from these events, the Department is now inviting wider feedback, through an online survey, on the challenges and opportunities facing people living and working in rural Ireland.

For more information, contact Minister Canney on 086-2513639
Thursday September 4 2019