Rural Development

‘Our Rural Future – Rural Development Policy 2021-2025’ is the new whole-of-government policy for the sustainable development of rural Ireland, which was launched on 29 March 2021. It contains more than 150 commitments for delivery across Government over a five year period, and is the most ambitious and transformational policy for rural development in Ireland for decades.

The government’s vision is for a thriving rural Ireland which is integral to our national wellbeing and development, built on the interdependence between rural and urban areas.

The policy supports the delivery of other key government policies and objectives, with a focus on sustainable and inclusive rural development. It will optimise opportunities for individuals, communities and businesses, emphasising the potential for remote working to transform rural Ireland, with more people living and working in rural areas. It will bring about a better quality of life for all people, to ensure no one is left behind.

As part of Project Ireland 2040 the government has committed to providing an additional €1 billion over the period 2019 to 2027 for the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. This will provide investments to renew towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000 people.

The fund will provide opportunities to revitalise rural Ireland, make significant and sustainable impacts on rural communities, and address de-population. Funding will be awarded through a competitive bid process, based on the objectives in the National Planning Framework.

Under the LEADER programme, €250 million in grant aid is available to rural communities and businesses. This is provided to projects focused on economic and enterprise development, job creation, social inclusion and supporting the rural environment. Funding is allocated to 28 sub-regional areas based on administrative or county boundaries.

Targeted action is needed to support the regeneration of towns and villages. The Town and Village Renewal Scheme covers a range of projects to support and promote rural areas. The projects that receive funding will be decided by local authorities, businesses and communities.

The primary focus of TidyTowns is to encourage communities to improve their local environment and make their area a better place to live, work and visit, this creates a ‘sense of place’ for people. TidyTowns Groups up and down the island of Ireland, contribute to their communities in practical and creative ways to improve their towns and villages by participation in the SuperValu TidyTowns competition.

Connected Hubs

The Department has committed to establishing a comprehensive and integrated national network of Remote Working Hubs. ConnectedHubs.ie, launched in 2021, is a central booking platform where anyone can book and pay for desks, meeting rooms and related business services in remote working hubs. An interactive map on the platform shows the location and details of each remote working hub on the network. The services offered by individual hubs differ across the network from coworking areas, meeting rooms, private offices, or training and conference spaces arrangements to enterprise and innovation supports.

Ownership of hubs on the platform ranges from privately owned businesses to local community groups, while others are managed by local authorities.

The Western Development Commission manages the implementation of the Connected Hubs Network programme.

National Hub Network Strategy

The Department, together with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) and in consultation with key stakeholders, is leading on the development of a National Hub Network Strategy, due to be launched in 2025.

This strategy will shape and inform the future strategic direction of the National Hub Network and the Connected Hubs platform and ensure the strategic development and sustainability of Ireland’s digital hub infrastructure.

Western Development Commission

Operating under the aegis of the Department, the Western Development Commission was established as a statutory body under the Western Development Commission Act, 1998, to promote economic and social development in the Western Region, encompassing the counties of Clare, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, and Sligo.

As well as managing the Connected Hubs programme, the WDC operates and controls the Western Investment Fund (WIF), which provides equity finance and loans to businesses, communities, social enterprises, strategic initiatives and the creative industry based in the Western Region of Ireland. The WDC also conducts research on regional and rural issues to advise the government on regional matters and advance policies enhancing social and economic standards.

Tourism is Ireland's largest indigenous industry-employing 230,000 people nationally. The Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors - National Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023-2027 sets out a vision, mission and series of actions which will lead, guide and facilitate the sustainable development and management of the outdoor recreation sector.

It also aims to increase participation, in order to realise social, health and economic benefits. Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors is a cross government stakeholder-led strategy which was developed in collaboration with Comhairle na Tuaithe (the Countryside Council).

The department is mandated with developing rural recreation in line with the objectives of the Walks Scheme and Rural Recreation Officers scheme as developed by Comhairle na Tuaithe (The Countryside Council).

The Walks Scheme also pays maintenance fees to landowners with National Waymarked Ways on their property.

The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the necessary repair, enhancement or promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in countryside areas across Ireland.

Broadband Connection Points

Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) began as an initiative of the National Broadband Plan (NBP).

BCPs are located in rural and remote areas, including several offshore islands. They are publicly accessible locations that provide high-speed broadband free of charge for local communities.

BCPs are typically installed at community centres and sports clubs. The programme includes 300 sites in all 26 counties including 11 on off-shore islands and 13 in Gaeltacht areas. The locations can be found on the Connected Communities and Broadband Connection Points - NBI websites.

Thematic Programmes

The Department has funded a number of programmes in BCPs to demonstrate the benefits and opportunities that connectivity offers to rural communities.

Thematic programmes in Education, Digital Skills, Arts and Culture and Remote Working have been developed in partnership with key stakeholders and these have been rolled out to BCPs across the network.

Our current thematic partners include:

Children's Books Ireland

OurKidsCode

The Ark

VEX Robotics

Please contact your local BCP or Broadband Officer for information on how to take part.

Broadband Officers

Broadband Officers (BBOs) are based in local authorities around the country. They provide a local point of contact for telecoms operators and the public regarding telecoms issues and play a leading role in their local authorities as the National Broadband Plan is rolled out.

BBOs play a key role in delivering the BCP initiative, supporting BCP managers, staff and volunteers. They coordinate community initiatives such as education and creative technology pilot projects, as well as national thematic programmes funded by the Department.

See full list of Broadband Officers for contact details.

Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce

The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce was established in 2016, bringing together key public and private stakeholders in the telecoms sector. The aim of the Taskforce is to address barriers to the rollout of broadband services and to improve access to broadband and mobile phone services and information for consumers.

The Taskforce was re-established in 2021 to focus on a number of priority action areas which support the ongoing rollout of the National Broadband Plan and providing high-quality fixed and mobile data and telephony services right across the country particularly in rural areas.

The Taskforce, which meets bi-annually, is currently co-chaired and co-ordinated by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG) and the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport (DCCS). Further information on the Taskforce can be viewed at Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce.