Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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69. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the way the action plan for rural development, launched recently in County Longford, can benefit rural communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4003/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Realising our Rural Potential, the Government's Action Plan for Rural Development, was launched in Ballymahon, Co. Longford on the 23^rdJanuary 2017. The objective of the Plan is to unlock the potential of rural Ireland through a framework of supports at national and local level which will ensure that people who live in rural Ireland have increased opportunities for employment locally, and access to public services and social networks that support a high quality of life.

The Action Plan will act as an overarching structure for the co-ordination and implementation of initiatives right across Government which will benefit rural Ireland. The Plan contains over 270 actions to be delivered by a range of Government Departments, State agencies and other bodies. It is structured around five thematic pillars, which aim to improve the social and economic fabric of rural Ireland. These pillars are:

­ Supporting Sustainable Communities

­ Supporting Enterprise and Employment

­ Maximising our Rural Tourism and Recreation Potential

­ Fostering Culture and Creativity in rural communities

­ Improving Rural Infrastructure and Connectivity.

The Plan will support sustainable communities by making rural Ireland a better place to live through initiatives such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and CLÁR. It will enhance local services, empower local communities to ensure that their voices are heard in decision-making, and build better communities through ongoing investment in schemes such as LEADER.

Key to the delivery of the Action Plan will be a robust process of monitoring progress on each of the 276 actions. I will chair a Monitoring Committee which will include representatives of all relevant Government Departments, public bodies and key rural stakeholder interests. The Monitoring Committee will meet on a regular basis and will report to the Cabinet Committee on Regional and Rural Affairs, which is chaired by An Taoiseach. Progress reports on the implementation of the Plan will be published every six months.

The Action Plan for Rural Development will also be a living document, with the capacity to add further actions over its lifetime.