Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 511: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the measures his Department proposes to implement as part of the new EU rural development regulation. [19178/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Negotiations are under way at European Council level on the form and scope of the next generation of rural development measures under the new EU regulation, due to commence in 2007. A key feature of the Commission's proposals in this regard is the inclusion of a dedicated priority axis of measures aimed at addressing the critical social and economic difficulties faced by many rural communities throughout the European Union experiencing aging, static or declining populations.

It is expected that the EU Commission will issue guidelines shortly on priorities for rural development and the implementation of the regulation. Following on from this, my Department in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture and Food will prepare a joint national rural development strategy and a detailed national rural development programme. This will include a stakeholder consultation process later this year.