Written answers

Tuesday, 25 September 2018

Department of Rural and Community Development

Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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110. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which each of the 34 recommendations of the CEDRA report have been implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38594/18]

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA) was established in November 2012 as an independent expert group to examine and report on the medium-term economic development of rural Ireland to 2025. The CEDRA report was published in April 2014. The priority recommendation made by CEDRA was the need for a co-ordinated approach to rural development across Government, led by a Cabinet Minister.

The 2016 Programme for a Partnership Government included a commitment to appoint a Government Minister and Department to provide greater political coordination and prioritisation of the work of other Departments in relevant areas that impact on rural Ireland.  The assignment of these responsibilities to the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in May 2016, and the subsequent establishment of the dedicated Department of Rural and Community Development in July 2017, has addressed this priority recommendation of CEDRA and has ensured representation at Cabinet for rural and community development issues.  

The Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development which was published in January 2017 builds on, and goes further than, the CEDRA report in that it seeks to address not just the economic development of rural areas, but also seeks to support the social and cultural development of rural communities across the country.  Many of the recommendations in the CEDRA report which had not yet been implemented were integrated into the Action Plan.

My Department recently reviewed all of the recommendations in the CEDRA report and found that the recommendations have either been implemented, where feasible, or are being addressed through the Action Plan for Rural Development or other Government initiatives.

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