Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas as ucht an deis labhairt ar an mBille tábhachtach seo.

First, I commend my party colleague, Deputy Martin Kenny, for bringing forward this Bill. The purpose of this Bill is to ensure that public bodies submit policy measures, legislation and regulations for rural proofing. It requires that regard be had by public bodies to the desirability of reducing socio-economic and other inequalities suffered by those in rural Ireland. It provides for the carrying out of rural impact assessments for measures that are likely to have a significant impact on local communities. It is a short, simple Bill designed to deal with the unequal treatment of people in rural areas and to protect rural communities. This measure has been introduced in the North and an enhanced rural proofing process was put on a statutory footing under the leadership of the then Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Michelle O’Neill.

Rural Ireland and rural communities are the heartbeat of this country. This Government pays a lot of lip service to rural Ireland but the truth is that the lack of investment in rural communities is having a real impact on the lives of many rural communities. People living in rural communities are being treated as second-class citizens. I have always lived in rural Ireland and have witnessed the decimation of rural communities day by day. Outside of the large urban centres, there are no green shoots of economic recovery. Rural communities have witnessed the closure of vital services such as post offices, Garda stations and even banks. In my constituency of Offaly-North Tipperary two banks, in Ferbane and Edenderry, have closed in recent times while in north Tipperary, Garda stations in Lorrha and Terryglass have closed despite local opposition and people pleading for them to be left open.

Rural communities have looked on helplessly as young people have been left with no option but to travel to cities or even other countries to find work or to avail of educational opportunities. Rural communities have to wait longer for access to health services due to the lack of investment in ambulances. They have to put up with a lack of effective public transport and huge swathes of rural communities have no access to broadband. In this day and age this is totally unacceptable. Many farmers depend on broadband to file returns and other forms and there is no excuse for not providing access to it. It means that businesses, schools and other bodies located in rural Ireland are at a distinct disadvantage.

Under the Fine Gael-Labour Government, local communities were disempowered. Infrastructure has deteriorated as a result of severe cuts to regional and local budgets affecting roads, housing delivery and, most noticeably in recent times, flood protection. I have met with IDA representatives on two occasions in Edenderry, a town in north Offaly with the highest rate of vacant commercial buildings in the country. I wanted to encourage them to secure investment in our towns where it is needed.

I was informed they were not looking at Edenderry or many other towns in Offaly because our roads are too poor.

I tabled a parliamentary question to the Minister, Deputy Ross, and I might as well not have bothered because he lives in a very wealthy urban constituency and is completely out of touch with rural communities. Based on the answer I got back, I would have expected more from a Minister. I again implore him to look at the budget and ensure rural communities are given enough money for the upkeep of roads. The poor roads are resulting in us losing out on jobs and the potential of investment to grow the economy. We are being set back as a result.

Towns and villages across the State have become depopulated and many are like ghost towns. Our farming and fishing communities have come under attack and many farmers on poorer quality land struggle to make ends meet. There high level of farm inspections in Tipperary is also an issue of concern for many farmers who are already under tremendous stress living from day to day trying to make an income to support their families. That also needs to be looked at; we have to be fair.

More than 40% of people live in urban areas while more than one third of the population of this State live in or near Dublin. This imbalance is unsustainable. Sinn Féin wants to make rural Ireland a sustainable place to live and work, where the quality of life is matched by the quality of public services. It should be a place where young educated graduates have the opportunity to stay and build their future, and a place that welcomes back emigrants, including those forced to leave over recent years.

The Bill, if implemented, will provide our rural communities with a fighting chance of survival. It will ensure that the rights of local communities are respected at all levels of policy making. There is a disconnect and a lack of respect for rural communities. We will not continue to be treated as second-class citizens. I say that as a rural Deputy. I hope that all Deputies will support this important legislation.

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