Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

157. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the unit that has been tasked to co-ordinating work with communities to develop co-operative structures to keep vital local services in place and to retain and develop vibrant local enterprises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39201/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

A dedicated co-ordination unit has been established within my Department and is currently working on finalising an Action Plan for Rural Development, which will act as an overarching structure for the co-ordination and implementation of initiatives across Government which will benefit rural Ireland. The implementation of those initiatives will contribute significantly to the protection and enhancement of local services and help generate increased economic activity in rural areas.

The objective of the Action Plan is to bring a joined up approach to the implementation of policies that affect rural communities. We will be working right across Government to ensure that the actions included in the Plan improve both the social and economic fabric of rural Ireland. The Action Plan will be published in early 2017.

I have already started to put practical schemes in place to help local communities through the roll out of a suite of initiatives, such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the expansion of the REDZ initiative and the reintroduction of the CLÁR programme. My Department is also working on proposals for the renewal of the post office network, as well as measures to facilitate the roll out of high speed broadband in rural areas once Government contracts are awarded next year under the National Broadband Plan.