Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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91. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made to date in implementing the CEDRA report; the progress he plans making in this regard in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47613/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As the deputy is aware, my colleague Ann Phelan, TD was appointed Minister of State in July of this year with specific responsibility for implementing the report of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA ). The scope of this report is extensive and multi-sectoral and encompasses 34 recommendations on areas as diverse as investment and finance, local enterprise support, broadband, water, rural transport, social enterprise, roads, artisan foods, creative industries, tourism & recreation, community capability building, marine and renewable energy.

The report’s implementation must be viewed as an ongoing process rather than a short term project but nevertheless in the four months since her appointment, Minister Phelan has taken significant steps in this regard. She has established and is chairing the CEDRA high level Inter-Departmental Group (IDG) involving all the main departmental actors dealing with the recommendations. There have been three meetings of this group, including one today, at which an initial evaluation of each recommendation has been made, lead responsibility assigned in line with statutory responsibility and an integrated CEDRA work programme with specific actions and timelines, up to end 2015 almost finalised. In addition, Minister Phelan is in the process of identifying a number of priority proposals to support the economic development of rural communities. Work on these proposals is progressing well and should be finalised in early 2015.

Ongoing implementation of the multi-sectoral programme, described above, as well as the finalisation and activation of a priority programme are the main plans to be progressed in 2015.