Ireland seeking to realise its rural potential

The Government has announced a €60m action plan, designed to breathe new life into rural Ireland in terms of schooling and small businesses for years to come.

Its proposals, titled ‘Realising our Rural Potential’, are to be announced by Minister for Rural Affairs, Heather Humphreys, who will hand rural businesses across the country a significant boost with the plan.

The Government has come under fire for neglecting Ireland’s rural communities for too long, but it’s hoped that the proposals will demonstrate a show of faith and confidence in rural Ireland.

In cases where vacant commercial spaces are being transformed into homes, the plan introduces a new option for the planning processed to be by-passed entirely.

A new rural public banking system will also be mooted, along with sizeable amendments to the rates system. Local authorities are set to introduce a new “rates alleviation scheme”, in conjunction with moves to re-evaluate rates in nine rural counties.

In addition, women will be targeted to encourage them back into the workforce thanks to new training schemes, while rural blackspots for mobile phone signal will also be revisited.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny will confirm in a press conference in Longford that the Government plans to grow the number of tourists to Ireland by 12 per cent and 135,000 new jobs will be created across rural Ireland by 2020.

“As I know well, there is huge untapped potential in rural Ireland,” Mr Kenny is due to say in his speech.

“These are strong communities with ideas and ambition for their futures.”

Meanwhile Ms Humphreys told the Irish Independent that broadband connectivity was a key factor behind improving the working climate for rural businesses.

Humphreys is asking every local authority to nominate a dedicated official to liaise with departments regarding the roll-out of high-speed fibre broadband.

“I think every shop has got to go online. Because what do you do when you want to find something, you Google it,” said Humphreys.

“Comments like ‘rural Ireland is dying’. I don’t want to hear that, because it’s not.”

Date published 23 Jan 2017 | Last updated 23 Jan 2017