Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the question. The Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas was established in November 2012 as an independent expert group to examine and report on the medium-term economic development of rural Ireland to 2025. The CEDRA report was published in April 2014. The priority recommendation made by CEDRA was the need for a joined-up approach to rural development across Government led by a Cabinet Minister. The 2016 document, A Programme for a Partnership Government, included a commitment to appoint a Minister and Department to provide greater political co-ordination of the work of other Departments in relevant areas that impact rural Ireland. The assignment of these responsibilities initially to the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in May 2016 and the establishment of the dedicated Department of Rural and Community Development in July 2017, as well as my appointment as Minister, have addressed this priority recommendation of CEDRA.

The Government Action Plan for Rural Development, which was published in January 2017, builds on and goes further than the CEDRA report in that it seeks to address not only the economic development of rural areas but also seeks to support the social and cultural development of rural communities throughout the country. Many of the recommendations in the CEDRA report that had not yet been implemented were integrated into the action plan. My Department recently reviewed all of the recommendations in the CEDRA report and found that the vast majority of recommendations have either been implemented, where feasible, or are being addressed through the Action Plan for Rural Development or other Government initiatives. The review that details the status of each recommendation is available on the www.gov.iewebsite.

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