Pat the Cope Gallagher has called on the Government to fast-track its long-promised plan to revive and revitalise rural Ireland.
Deputy Gallagher made the comments following reports that the Government is currently considering a number of options to incentivise living in rural areas but focusing only on rural villages and towns.
“Whilst any additional investment and support programme is welcome for rural areas, I fail to understand why make a difference between rural areas such as those who live in the countryside than those who live in rural villages and towns,” Deputy Gallagher said.
“Rural life is under treat from many aspects and it is wrong of any Government to distinguish between any country and rural living – be that village or rural townland.
“All aspects of rural life have suffered negatively over the past six year and therefore all rural communities require support and assistance.
“Rural Ireland has suffered profoundly since 2011 under the previous Government and there is a failure under the present Government to address the rural decline and the neglect of rural communities.
“Investment and job creation opportunities have been disproportionately focused on large urban areas especially the east coast of Ireland.
“The result of this has been the eroding of community life in rural areas as people are forced to relocate in order to support their families, with further knock on effects on rural towns, villages and communities.
“This has put enormous pressure on housing in areas such as Dublin and Cork whilst at the same time cheaper housing options exist in rural areas.”
Pat the Cope challenged the Government to put in place a plan that will comprehensively deal with rural needs, to reverse the years of rural decline and to make it attractive for people to live in small towns, villages and rural communities.
He said: “There needs to be investment in GP services, our hospitals rural schools, broadband, infrastructure, planning regulations in rural areas – such as ribbon development which not be enforced on county or regional roads, mobile phone service and other key services which make life easier and possible especially in rural areas.
“The IDA also needs to step up its efforts to attract jobs to rural areas. This is the only way that we can revitalise rural Ireland in the long term.
“The Government have been great at talking the talk when it comes to supporting rural Ireland but their track record speaks for itself and is daily visible to us that live in rural communities, but the time for meaningful action is long-overdue.
“This proposed rural action plan of the Government must not make any difference between rural villages and rural townlands – rural decline was endemic across all the west of Ireland and the Government must now put in place a strategy to deal with all aspects of rural life and rural communities.”
