Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Improving the quality of life of those who live and work in rural communities is a key objective of the Action Plan for Rural Development. It is the most comprehensive Government plan ever produced to support economic and social development in rural areas.

Progress reports on the implementation of the action plan are published twice-yearly on my Department's website. The most recent report, published in May 2018, shows that 254 of the 270 actions to be reported on were either completed on schedule or substantially advanced, representing an implementation rate of 93%.

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Work is under way on compiling the third progress report, which will outline the status of actions due for delivery in the first half of 2018. The draft report will be considered at the next meeting of the monitoring committee which oversees the action plan, and will be published on my Department's website thereafter. The actions being delivered are having an impact. For example, in the case of my own Department’s programmes alone, €31.6 million has been invested in more than 450 projects under the town and village renewal scheme while the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme has had €23 million allocated to almost 500 projects. More than 1,200 projects have been approved for total funding of €25 million under the CLÁR programme. Since last September, 1,100 private roads in rural areas have benefitted from investment of €28.2 million under the local improvement scheme and more than 1,300 projects with a value of over €39 million have now been approved under the current LEADER programme.

These, and other initiatives across Government, are improving the quality of life for people in rural areas and supporting job creation in the regions. Continued implementation of the Action Plan for Rural Development, together with the additional investment provided for through the rural regeneration and development fund, will ensure that the Government delivers on its commitment under Project Ireland 2040 to strengthen rural economies and communities.

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