Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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52. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on how her Department is implementing the published guidelines on rural proofing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19544/23]

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Minister provide an update on how the Department is implementing the published guidelines on rural proofing and will she make a statement on the matter?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Our Rural Future is the most ambitious and transformational policy for rural development in Ireland for decades. It commits to developing an effective rural-proofing model to ensure the effects of significant new proposals on rural communities are fully considered, and better target the particular challenges and opportunities facing them.

To advance this measure, my officials commissioned a research report on rural proofing, which was published in January. It outlines options that could be applied in the Irish context and assesses the merits and potential barriers to their implementation. The report makes clear that all the international evidence in respect of rural proofing is that no one-size-fits-all approach can be quickly and successfully implemented. This international experience is an important factor in shaping our approach to rural proofing and I was happy to have recently met with Lord Benyon, Minister of State for Biosecurity, Marine and Rural Affairs to discuss the experience of implementing a rural proofing approach in the United Kingdom. Informed by the conclusions of the report, my Department is developing a nationally applicable rural proofing approach by first applying rural proofing concepts to a number of pilot test initiatives. As part of this approach, my officials have engaged with a number of key Departments. Officials are now working with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media on rural proofing and the development of the new sustainable tourism policy. Similarly, work is also under way on the development of the new national hubs strategy. The incorporation of the rural perspective is a key part of this work. To further progress the pilot approach, I have asked my officials to engage with colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage regarding their ongoing work on the national planning framework.

My officials will continue to progress work in this area to ensure that our approach to rural proofing incorporates an appropriate rural lens, is sustainable over the longer term and adds value.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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This is something that Deputy Kerrane has raised over some time. It is good to hear the range of consultations that the Minister has undertaken on how this will be implemented and that different Departments have been consulted on the implementation. How long will it take to come up with the final strategy?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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We published a consultant's report on the Department website in January. Rural proofing has been seen to be a complex issue internationally and no country is considered to have been fully successfully implementing rural proofing to date. Approaches taken to date can be described as voluntary, compulsory, policy decisions and legislative. The report favours an approach based on option B, which is compulsory approaches through policy decision but no one-size-fits-all model can be effectively applied to the Irish context; rather a phased pilot approach based on clear consultation is recommended. The report states this will not be achieved instantaneously but through consultation with Departments on the proposed model and a piloted approach backed up with training advice and guidance facilitated centrally by my Department.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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The issue is around timelines for implementation. I understand it is a complex issue and, as the Minister explained, many Departments are involved in implementation of the policy. She mentioned compulsory measures. We are concerned about the time taken to come up with the strategy, how that is going to be implemented and what it will look like.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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We have identified areas that we want to focus on as part of the pilot. Sustainable tourism is something that has a big impact on rural economies. We have launched the national recreation strategy.

That has huge economic benefits. Let us consider, for example, the benefits of Limerick greenway, the mountain biking trail in the Slieve Bloom Mountains and Mount Congreve Gardens in Waterford. Only last week, I opened a new walkway in Newtownforbes, County Longford.

The national planning framework is another important policy, which is a big influence on balanced regional development, rural housing, remote working, etc. There is a range of different ways through which we can make sure that policies are rural-proofed.