A public call for submissions to The Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan TD. Has today 8/2/2013 encouraged people in rural areas to fully participate in this process by making submissions and attending their local public meeting. Emphasising the central role of the voice of rural citizens in this exercise the Minister highlighted the need to integrate the views of rural dwellers in the policy making process and the importance of local knowledge and experience in this context.  Both the Minister and Pat Spillane, the Commission Chair, are confident that once afforded the opportunity rural dwellers will engage with the process and ensure that their opinions shape the final report which in turn will inform their development pathways going forward.

The Minister supported this by saying that “People living and working in rural Ireland are best placed to know what needs to be done to ensure that the rural economy develops. Their input to the CEDRA is critical.”

The Chairman of the Commission, well know GAA star Pat Spillane, is keen to engage with the public and will be listening to their experiences and suggestions regarding economic development in their community. “The feedback and contributions that we receive from the public are vital to the work of the commission in the preparation of its report. We need solid, practical and workable recommendations to put into the report. We are also asking anyone with an interest in economic rural development to make a submission though our website www.ruralireland.ie <http://www.ruralireland.ie/> ”

The Commission, which was launched by both Minister Hogan and Minister Coveney in November 2012, was established to conduct a comprehensive research exercise and produce a detailed report that will inform the medium term economic development of rural areas for the period to 2025. A central component of this work is an extensive public consultation exercise that includes this call for submissions as well as a series of meetings with relevant local stakeholders and members of rural communities all over the country.  This consultation process is the most critical element of the proposed research, giving insight into the experiences of rural communities and their sense of how they see their communities developing into the future.

Unemployment is a significant concern in Rural Ireland which brings with it a variety of issues and challenges. In line with the Action Plan for Jobs the main aim of this Government is to get Ireland back to work and this exercise to access the potential for economic development is critical in this regard  The  Commission, in researching the key actions needed to ensure that rural areas will contribute to and benefit from economic recovery to the maximum extent possible will produce a report that will assist Government in prioritising future actions that will drive economic development, support employment and create jobs at a local level. Vibrant, sustainable rural communities are the foundation of effective rural economies and this research will provide the necessary information to support the development of policies that will ensure that such communities survive, thrive and remain places where people want to live and work into the future.

To make a submission or to find out more about CEDRA, visit www.ruralireland.ie <http://www.ruralireland.ie>