Macra has called on parties and candidates contesting the 2024 General Election to deliver on three “key pillars” of rural regeneration in their election pledges.
Those pillars are, according to the rural youth organisation, farm succession; mental health and wellbeing; and rural housing.
Macra’s election manifesto, published today (Thursday, November 14) says that, by addressing those three issues, a future for young people in rural Ireland can be ensured.
“We are calling on policy makers to recognise, through their actions in policy decisions, the pivotal role youth must play in the revitalisation or our rural communities,” the organisation said.
On succession, Macra said that, without clear policies to support and incentivise young farmers, “we risk losing the lifeblood of rural communities”.
The manifesto calls on government to address financial, social and infrastructural barriers to succession.
The manifesto also says that the mental health and wellbeing of farmers and farm families must be prioritised.
“The isolation, financial pressures, business uncertainty and income volatility are creating a mental health crisis that farmers, including young farmers, and their families can no longer ignore,” the manifesto said.
On the issue of rural housing, it called for immediate policy interventions to ensure that housing is affordable, accessible, and suited to the needs of young rural people.
Macra’s key election asks are summarised below:
- Succession:
- Delivery of a comprehensive succession policy with the outcome of a succession scheme;
- Introduce tax relief and financial incentives to facilitate succession;
- Promote education and mentorship programs that prepare young farmers for succession and sustainable farming practices;
- Mental health:
- Prioritise and ensure there is an allocation of the Mental Health budget for rural mental health programmes;
- Recognition of farmers as a key category in government health programmes;
- Rural Housing:
- Immediate delivery of the National Planning guidelines;
- Prioritise infrastructural development, such as high-speed internet, to make rural Ireland a more attractive and feasible place to live and work.
Commenting on the election manifesto, Macra president Elaine Houlihan said: “These are the priority action areas that we as the young people in rural Ireland are passionate about and want to see immediate action on.
“We envision an Ireland where every farm and rural business can thrive, where young people are encouraged to innovate, and where our way of life is rewarded and valued in society,” Houlihan added.
She urged Macra members to “get out and vote”.