Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in respect of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas, if he will provide the terms of reference for the Commission; the budget for the Commission for 2012, 2013 and 2014; the function of the Commission; if he will estimate the headcount that will be employed at the Commission when fully operational; if the Commission will need to use external resources; the date on which the Commission will provide a report, and if all roles in the Commission will be openly advertised. [51664/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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A number of commitments relating to economic development contained in the Programme for Government, in particular, commitments to encourage job creation and sustainable enterprise development, are reliant on the ability of all parts of Ireland to contribute to economic growth going forward. It is also apparent that both the differential degree of economic development and the variable impacts of the economic downturn between urban and rural areas need to be examined in detail in order that appropriate measures are identified to inform the development of strategies that support rural Ireland into the future.

It was in this context that I established the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA) chaired by Mr Pat Spillane. The terms of reference for the Commission are set out below. Membership of the Commission is yet to be finalised however there will be approximately 15 members drawn from relevant organisations/stakeholders involved in or with an interest in Rural Development. They will not receive any remuneration for their participation in the Commission. The Commission has a defined remit and timeframe and its main output will be a report that aims to inform medium-term economic development of rural areas for the period to 2025. The report will be short and specific and will take a multi-sectoral approach.

The Commission will conduct an extensive research exercise that will examine in detail the current status of the rural economy. As part of its work it will conduct a comprehensive public consultation exercise and examine all relevant information available in order to reach its conclusions. The public consultation process will include a number of public meetings to be held across the country from January to April 2013. In addition, there will be a number of individual stakeholder meetings with civil society organisations. I expect that the full Commission will meet monthly until October 2013 when it is planned to complete its work and publish its report.

The work programme of the Commission will be undertaken within existing resources and costs will be kept to an absolute minimum , drawing upon shared services an d facilities. The secretariat will be provided by the partnering institutions, my Department, Teagasc and the Western Development Commission (WDC), without a cost to the Commission. No additional consultancy work will be undertaken and no additional human resources will be required. It is hoped, however, to recruit suitable trainees from within the Job Bridge programme, and these internship opportunities are currently advertised on the Job Bridge website at

Terms of Reference

Having regard to the commitments on development contained in the Programme for Government, in particular,

- To encourage job creation and sustainable enterprise development

- To be recognised as a modern, fair, socially inclusive and equal society supported by a productive and prosperous economy

- To facilitate where possible export led growth,

marking the 25^th anniversary of the EU strategy for the development of rural areas, in “the Future of Rural Society” [COM (88) 501] as part of the Irish Presidency of the European Union 2013 and, given both the differential degree of economic development and the variable impacts of the economic downturn between urban and rural areas, the Commission will provide research information to support/guide the medium-term economic development of the Rural Areas for the period to 2025.

This research will:

- Examine the key actions needed to ensure that rural areas, to the maximum extent will, contribute to and benefit from economic recovery

- Examine the ways in which rural areas can contribute to and benefit from national economic development strategies

- Be cognisant of pressures on the public finances in drawing conclusions

- Inform prioritisation made by Government and other stakeholders in implementing future actions and take on board inputs from a public consultation to be undertaken by the Commission and analysis provided by a secretariat, comprised of Teagasc, the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government and the Western Development Commission.

While the definitions of rural areas are varied, the Commission will adopt a holistic view of rural as being outside the main metropolitan areas. It recognises of course the relational nature of economic and social development and the interconnections between rural and urban areas.

The research report will be short and specific and will take a multi-sectoral approach with specific focus on rural areas. It is expected that the draft report will be presented to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in September 2013.