Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has examined the findings of the PREPARE partnerships for rural Europe report on rural movements in Europe in order for Ireland to gain knowledge from European partners on ways to improve the quality of life in rural areas. [22792/06]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 79: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on and if he will be collaborating with Irish Rural Link's rural think tank project which is being established in response to a lack of coherent policy and action in key rural development areas. [22787/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 79 together.

I do not accept that there is a lack of coherent policy and action in key rural development areas. The era of change now facing rural Ireland was one of the main reasons which prompted the establishment of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in mid 2002. One of the key goals of my Department is to promote and maintain living and working populations in rural areas by helping to foster sustainable and culturally vibrant communities there. Implicit in this statement is the recognition, now widely accepted, that farming alone cannot sustain the rural economy.

In continuing to develop a clear vision and strategy, I will be happy to hear the views of Irish Rural Link, amongst others, and any new proposals they might have. I believe that all players with an interest in rural Ireland must work together to achieve a modern rural Ireland and one which reaps the economic and social rewards going forward.

Equally, I will be happy to examine the findings of the PREPARE report on rural movements in Europe in order to gain knowledge and insight from a European perspective. I understand that Irish Rural Link is a member of this network.