Dáil debates
Tuesday, 26 September 2023
Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions
Rural Schemes
10:20 pm
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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51. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 1394 of 13 June 2023, for an update on the rural proofing model promised in Our Rural Future; the details of the engagement her Department has had with other departments to progress work in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41371/23]
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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This is a straightforward issue. I am seeking an update on the rural proofing model that was promised under Our Rural Future, which the Minister has often referred to and which is the Government’s blueprint up to 2025. In particular, what has been the engagement with other Departments? There must be an all-of-Government approach.
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Our Rural Future commits to developing an effective rural proofing model to ensure that the needs of rural communities are fully considered in the development of Government policies. To advance this measure, my officials commissioned research in this area. The resulting report, entitled “Proposals for a Rural Proofing model for Ireland”, was published in January. The report outlines options that could be applied and assesses the merits and potential barriers to their implementation. A central theme of the report is that the international evidence makes clear that no one-size-fits-all approach can be quickly and successfully implemented.
Informed by these conclusions, my Department is now applying rural proofing concepts to a number of pilot initiatives to inform the development of a nationally applicable approach that would then be rolled out more broadly. Included in the rural proofing pilot phase are the following significant initiatives: the first revision of the national planning framework, which is being overseen by a cross-departmental steering group led by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; the development of a new sustainable tourism policy, which is being led by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; and the development the new national hubs strategy, led by my Department.
In addition, my Department is in the process of developing a new social enterprise strategy. I was anxious to ensure that this important strategy would see the benefit of a rural proofing process. With that is mind, my Department hosted a rural ideas forum during the summer to ensure that the consideration of a rural perspective was central to the development of the strategy, particularly given the important role that social enterprises play in many rural communities.
I expect to conclude the pilot phase of developing a rural proofing model in early 2024. At that point, my officials will draw on the lessons and insights gained from the pilot to put in place workable and effective solutions to support the mainstreaming of the rural perspective in policymaking across Departments.
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I thank the Minister. I was aware from the previous reply in June that the research had been done. I welcome that, and I welcome the update that the three pilots will be completed in early 2024, at which point the Government will roll out a full policy on rural proofing all documents.
Perhaps the Minister could tell me more about the new enterprise strategy. I think of seaweed and wool, which present fantastic opportunities for indigenous industries that are currently going nowhere. Those are just two examples.
In my constituency in Galway, there is no rural proofing. We have a day centre. This has to do with the Minister’s Department indirectly, given that the day centre was closed three years ago last week. It must be only the second such place in the whole country. No one has assessed the absence of a day centre and the effect of that on the community. In Carraroe, we have no treatment centre, so sewage is going directly into the water. A site was picked, but it is not suitable. Twenty years later and we are still looking into that. Towns and other places cannot thrive without these essential industries.
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Rural proofing is a tool to support the policymaking process. There are more examples of rural proofing models failing than of being successful. We want to use the test cases to develop an approach that suits the national conditions. When every Department makes decisions, I want it to think rural. It is as simple as that. It is a question of how to ensure that happens each time.
The Deputy referred to social enterprises. We are developing a social enterprise policy. I am supportive of social enterprises across the country. They are not for profit, as the Deputy knows, and they provide employment in areas where the private sector will not go. They are a wonderful service. There is a local farmers’ co-operative beside my home. It provides all sorts of agricultural products and other materials. It is a hive of activity in the middle of nowhere every day, especially at weekends. The credit union movement is one of the great examples of a social enterprise, where everything is ploughed back into services for its members and others who use them.
We are developing this strategy. I want to ensure it is rural proofed so that rural areas get the opportunity to have important social enterprises. The Deputy mentioned seaweed. It is the perfect example of something that could be developed in her county.
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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When does the Minister believe the enterprise policy will be ready? She referred to rural proofing as a tool. It is an essential tool that has not been used to date. When does she envisage that Departments will mainstream the rural proofing approach? It has not been mainstreamed, which is why Carraroe is without a day centre. If that decision had been rural proofed and poverty proofed, it could never have happened. A similar situation applies in terms of the lack of industries, for example, seaweed and wool. Farmers are getting very little money for wool. Even though there are any number of possibilities, for example, insulation, these are not being taken up on the ground. Will the enterprise strategy consider such matters? When will it be published? When will rural proofing be mainstreamed by all Departments, as promised?
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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We are developing the social enterprise strategy. It is important that this be done as quickly as possible. I will be working on it. I want to ensure that all of these strategies are right. We found it took a long time to develop the island strategy, but we got there in the end and it was welcomed as a good strategy.
Our Rural Future is a good policy document and has been recognised by the OECD as best practice internationally in terms of rural development policy. This year, I attended the future forum on rural development in Berlin, where I presented on what we were doing. Last month, the Danish minister for rural development visited Ireland to look at and learn from how our rural policy was working. The Nordic countries are usually held up as examples of best practice in public policy, so it was heartening to see one of them coming to Ireland and learning from us.
For me, rural proofing means investment, making a difference and improving quality of life for rural people. That is important and I want to see it happen.