Policy
Rural Development
Published on: 12 November 2018
‘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.
Future employment opportunities in rural areas will require measures to support rural entrepreneurship and innovative rural small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The Atlantic Economic Corridor stretches along the western seaboard of Ireland, from Donegal to Kerry.
It is home to many successful businesses, from ambitious start-ups to established multinationals.
The Atlantic Economic Corridor aims to:
- grow an entrepreneurial and innovation culture
- encourage infrastructural investment
- attract foreign direct investment
- support Irish companies with global ambitions
The Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais, or CLÁR, is an investment programme for small-scale infrastructural projects in depopulated rural areas. CLÁR supports the development of identified areas by attracting people to live and work there.
The National Hub Network will bring together at least 400 remote working and enterprise hubs across the country to support remote workers and businesses. DRCD chair the National hub Network inter-departmental working group and are leading on the establishment of the Network and the facilities need to support it.
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).
Embracing Ireland's Outdoors: National Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023-2027
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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.
Making rural Ireland more attractive to live, work and visit is a major part of the Rural Development Policy 2021-2025 - Our Rural Future.
The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is a programme for improvement works on small private or non-public roads in rural areas which are not under the normal maintenance of the Local Authorities. The scheme is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and is administered through the Local Authorities
Delivering high speed broadband to every citizen and business in Ireland is the remit of the National Broadband Plan (NBP). The Regional Development and Innovation Unit is tasked identifying local barriers to the provision of telecoms services and the use of digital technologies. The Unit co-ordinates a number of projects intended to improve access to digital services in rural, isolated and under-served communities. These projects include the National Hub Network, Broadband Connection Points (BCPs), WiFi4EU and the Digital Innovation Programme. The Unit, in partnership with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, co-ordinates the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce.