Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am glad of the opportunity to speak on the Government’s rural development policy. This is an area I am particularly interested in coming from a rural constituency and knowing my constituency’s potential. Nobody can dispute that the natural beauty of the west coast, and particularly of Donegal, is unmatched. The area has so much to offer and so much untapped potential and I am glad the Government has finally begun to recognise this. I acknowledge the Minister was up there last week and spent a couple of days in the beautiful county and was able to go around and open projects that were given money. It highlights that more needs to be done. The Minister would not expect me to say anything else.

The Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy document is an impressive read. It covers many areas and offers great ideas on how to revitalise our rural communities but anyone reading this would think the Government is doing fantastic work. It is doing work but those living in rural communities know that more needs to be done. Tellingly, we are two years from the publication of this five-year policy but we are still nowhere near any of these policies being implemented. I wonder whether there was even an intention to implement them in the first place given that the key deliverables are extremely vast and far-reaching for even the most ambitious of governments. It seems that this is yet another Government policy document full of empty promises. I would rather a weaker policy document if it reflected the Government's actual priorities. At least it would give us something to work with.

What rural communities need most is not words, but full and proper investment. I want to take this opportunity to call on the Government to invest further in the rural regeneration and development fund. I welcome that this fund is contributing to Killybegs 2040, a significant regeneration project in my home town, which forms a part of Project Ireland 2040. This project will make a significant difference to the town of Killybegs and those living there who have experienced a really difficult downturn in the last two decades. The project will provide a civic space in Killybegs, as well as a digital hub for the many who have chosen to move to the town, and surrounding rural areas, to work remotely. This will undoubtedly help unlock Killybegs full potential but that alone is not enough. Further investment into the town and the county is needed as well. However, another problem was reported to me where employers are pulling employees back to work on-site. This puts remote workers in a very precarious situation and will deter employees from making the move to rural communities.

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