Rural action plan: too little, too late?
THERE’S been a mixed reaction across Co Cork to the government’s €60 programme for the regeneration of rural town and villages.
While the chairman of Cork Regional Chambers of Commerce, Charleville’s John Donegan, gave the plan a broad welcome, FF Deputy Michael Moynihan said it was ‘ too little, too late’.
“If I was to sum up how I feel about the plan, I would say underwhelmed. I wanted to see a forward looking, imaginative strategy to invigorate rural communities,” he said.
Meanwhile, agriculture minister Michael Creed weighed in on the positive side, saying it ‘gives a whole of government approach to rural development.
CORK North West TD Michael Moynihan has said he had serious concerns about the government’s action plan for rural Ireland describing it as “too little, too late.”
“If I was to sum up how I feel about the plan, I would say underwhelmed. I wanted to see a forward looking, imaginative strategy to invigorate rural communities I counties like Cork,” said Deputy Moynihan.
“Instead, we have a piecemeal rehash of previously released press releases and announcements. Fine Gael have not learned that spin doesn’t bring jobs to rural towns, spin doesn’t keep post offices, schools and GP surgeries open, and spin certainly doesn’t entice young people to stay in north Cork to work, raise a family and energise their communities,” he fumed.
He said that rural Ireland was facing major challenges, with communities across the country asking what kind of a future they have.
“This is the fourth ‘rural plan’ launched by Fine Gael while in government. The CEDRA report, the Rural Charter and commitments in the Programme for Government have all failed to deliver revealing a systematic failure in rural policy,” said Deputy Moynihan.
He said that Rural Ireland was in desperate need of a strategic plan that would allow it to achieve its full potential.
“The governments latest initiative for rural Ireland is pitiful. It lacks strategic vision, serves only to underpin the gross neglect of rural Ireland and is not enough to roll back the damage caused by Fine Gael’s recent strategy of a two-tier recovery that left rural Ireland behind,” said Deputy Moynihan.
“It’s time for Fine Gael to start paying attention to people living in Ireland instead of simply paying lip-service to the issues that affect them,” he added.