Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Our Rural Future is the new rural development policy covering the period 2021 to 2025 and, as I said earlier, is the most ambitious and transformational policy for rural development in Ireland for decades. It recognises that rural areas play an integral role in the economic, social and cultural well-being of the country and sets out a vision for vibrant and thriving rural towns, villages and communities. The policy contains more than 150 commitments, focusing on long-term sustainability and optimising services and opportunities for individuals, communities and businesses in rural areas.

Urban and rural areas are interdependent, and we must avoid an asymmetrical recovery which risks leaving people behind. This requires not only fulfilling the letter of Our Rural Future, but also the spirit of it on a cross-government basis. The policy commits to developing an effective rural proofing model that will ensure that all Departments fully consider the effects of new proposals on rural communities, the need for possible adjustments to better target the challenges and opportunities facing rural areas and to highlight any unintended impacts that may arise. Any rural proofing process adopted by the Government must be effective, efficient and implementable. The development of a rural proofing model will begin later this year with a scoping exercise that will include assessment of international best practice in this area. Finally, it is of note that in addition to the development of the rural proofing model, formal structures for the monitoring of policy implementation are in place and are overseen by the Cabinet committee on economic recovery and investment, chaired by An Taoiseach.

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