Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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36. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the intended timeline for introducing an effective rural proofing model as committed to in Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025. [7837/22]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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69. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide information on the development of a rural proofing mechanism as outlined in the Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025; the scope of the consultation provided to external consultants; the way she plans to integrate this with regard to the strategy workplan for 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8609/22]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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78. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the development of a rural proofing mechanism to support the Our Rural Future Strategy. [8661/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 36, 69 and 78 together.

Our Rural Future is the most ambitious and transformational policy for rural development in Ireland for decades.

The policy contains 152 measures for delivery across the whole of Government, with the underlying theme of economic, environmental and societal sustainability. The policy has a vision of ensuring vibrant and thriving rural towns and villages, with a key objective to maximise opportunities for individuals, communities and businesses in rural areas.  It recognises that rural areas play an integral role in the economic, social and cultural recovery and wellbeing of the country.

The policy commits to developing an effective rural proofing model. This will aim to ensure that all departments fully consider the effects of new proposals on rural communities, the need to better target the particular challenges and opportunities facing rural areas, and to identify impacts that may arise.

Following a competitive tender process, my Department has engaged independent consultants to fully examine the issue of rural proofing in Ireland. Their work will include consideration of rural proofing initiatives internationally so as to inform our approach based on the experiences of others. The consultants are expected to provide their report in late March/early April 2022, presenting a series of recommendations on approaches to rural proofing to my Department.