Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1388. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the plans that are in place to tackle the chronic depopulation continually occurring in rural Kerry and as highlighted in a recent report by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2177/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Our Rural Future is the whole-of-government policy for sustainable rural development in Ireland, containing more than 170 commitments for delivery by government departments and their agencies.

The Government’s vision is for a thriving rural Ireland, which is built on the interdependence of urban and rural areas, and which recognises the centrality of people, and the importance of vibrant and lived-in rural places. Our Rural Future seeks to ensure that all rural areas are attractive to those people, particularly young people, who wish to remain or return to study, live, work and raise their families.

The measures outlined in the policy support short-term recovery, longer-term economic and social development, and environmental and cultural wellbeing. Updates on policy actions are provided through six-monthly Progress Reports. Annual Work Programmes allow for new measures and actions, in light of revised priorities due to emerging challenges and opportunities. Work Programmes and Progress Reports are published and available on my Department's website.

Work is currently underway to produce the 2025 Work Programme, and Seventh Progress Report, the latter of which will provide updates to the end of 2024.

Over the last 5 years, my Department has allocated funding of some €80m in County Kerry across its range of schemes and services. Most recently, 2024 saw significant funding provided to projects in County Kerry under the range of schemes in my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme, including:

• Over €8m allocated to projects approved under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Town & Village Renewal Scheme,
• Almost €1.4m for projects approved under the CLÁR Programme
• €1.3m for projects approved under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, and
• Over €1.5m for the Local Improvement Scheme to help local authorities carry out improvement works on private and non-publicly maintained roads.