Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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436. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the plans Government has to follow up on the Our Rural Future policy 2021-2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14938/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Our Rural Future was published in 2021 and, over its five-year lifespan, has provided significant investment and supports, strengthened local economies and improved the lives of many people in rural communities across Ireland.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to publish and implement a new Our Rural Future policy from 2026.

The process of developing this successor policy has already begun. The new policy will be informed by an ongoing, independent review of rural policy in Ireland. My Department contracted the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to carry this out and their findings, together with an extensive public and stakeholder consultation process, will form an evidence-based foundation for the new policy.

The consultation process commenced on 10 March with an online survey, which is open until Wednesday April 2nd. Details can be found on my Department’s website. The survey findings will inform a series of consultation events, scheduled to take place in various locations across the country commencing in May.

The framework of the new policy, outlining the emerging themes and priorities for rural Ireland, will be published for a period of written public consultation later in the year. I look forward to engaging with colleagues on the new policy in due course.

Rural development will remain integrally linked to policies across many Government Departments and we will continue our whole-of-Government approach as we develop this next phase of Ireland’s rural development policy.

Government is committed to building on the success of Our Rural Future and securing a more sustainable and resilient future for our rural communities.