Sinn Féin will bring a motion in the Dáil to “stand up” for rural Ireland and ensure it receives “fair and balanced” investment from government.
The motion will be debated in the Dáil on Tuesday (November 9) and calls on the government to:
- Introduce a statutory requirement for all government departments and public bodies to undertake rural impact assessments on their work;
- Provide clarity on all projects in the National Development Plan, including funding and timescales;
- Commit to delivering the Western Rail Corridor, a National Aviation Policy and key public transport policies.
Sinn Féin TD for Mayo Rose Conway-Walsh said that people living in towns, villages and communities “have been dismissed by government for far too long”.
‘No vision’ for rural Ireland
“It’s time for rural Ireland to get the support it needs to thrive and reach its full potential,” the deputy said.
“This government has no vision for our towns, villages and rural communities. Their lack of commitment to balanced investment is clear for all to see in the National Development Plan.
“The plan was announced last month with glossy brochures and slick press conferences, but as is so often the case with this government, it has amounted to little more than a PR exercise which will not provide the investment our regions desperately need.
“Not only did it fail to help our towns, villages and rural communities, it actually rolled back on many previous commitments.
“Several road projects outlined in the National Development Plan have had their completion dates removed. There is now significant doubt about a number of road projects which are stated to be subject to approval. The failure to include a Western Rail Corridor was a missed opportunity.”
Sinn Féin TD for Roscommon-Galway Claire Kerrane said that rural Ireland has been “consistently failed by governments who are big on talk but short on delivery”.
“The fact that the north and western region has been downgraded by the EU Commission from a ‘developed region’ to a region ‘in transition’ is a damning sign of their failure.
“Changes to remote working over the last two years have proven a once in a generation opportunity to reinvigorate our towns, villages and communities, if the right supports are in place.”
The supports necessary to survive
Sinn Féin TD for Galway West – South Mayo Mairéad Farrell added that rural Ireland has the potential to be “an incredible place to live, work and to raise a family” for many people, but not without being “given the supports necessary to thrive”.
Sinn Féin TD for Meath East Darren O’Rourke said that if we want a greener Ireland, then there needs to be viable public transport options, not “penalising” people in rural communities by hiking carbon tax “when alternatives simply aren’t available”.
He said that if Sinn Féin was in government, the party “would stand up for rural Ireland and ensure this unfair and unbalanced approach ends”.