Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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691. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide a progress report on the implementation of Our Rural Future. [61812/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Our Rural Future is the whole of Government policy for sustainable rural development in Ireland. It was published in March 2021 and is the most ambitious rural development policy for Ireland in decades. It contains more than 150 measures for delivery, for both short-term recovery and longer-term economic and social development, and environmental and cultural wellbeing.

Updates on policy implementation are provided by six-monthly Progress Reports and Annual Work Programmes. The development of Annual Work Programmes allows for revised priorities, including new measures, in light of emerging opportunities and challenges.

The First Progress Report was published in February 2022 and provided updates on a total of 216 actions contained in the 2021 Work Programme, with a delivery rate of just under 80% for actions scheduled for completion last year.

The 2022 Work Programme outlines work to be undertaken this year. It contains 318 actions to be progressed across Government, including 23 actions proposed under 10 new policy measures, adding to those originally contained in Our Rural Future. This clearly indicates that Our Rural Future is an ambitious, living, document.

The Second Progress Report was published in August and contains updates on implementation in the first half of 2022, with a completion rate of 72% on actions scheduled for completion in this period. The high level of progress to date demonstrates this Government’s continued commitment to rural Ireland.

Work on the Third Progress Report and 2023 Work Programme has already begun, and my Department has in recent weeks met bilaterally with relevant Departments to explore potential new measures to be highlighted for next year.

I am delighted with the high and sustained level of engagement across Government to support the ambition of Our Rural Future, with contributions coming from 22 departments and agencies this year alone.

I anticipate that both the next Progress Report and Work Programme will be published in Quarter 1 of 2023.

All Progress Reports and Work Programmes are available on my department's website: www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/c6f5d-our-rural-future/