Mayo minister's vote of confidence in the future of rural Ireland

Recent figures from the CSO show that there is a 5.8% increase in the number of people living in rural areas between 2016 and 2022.

In areas classified as highly rural and remote, the increase was 6.4%.

That evidence does not support the claim that there is widespread rural depopulation, the Minister for Rural Community Development and the Gaeltacht Dara Calleary has stated.

He elaborated: "I acknowledge that there are significant variations within these statistics. There are areas that are facing particular challenges that we must and will support, but the government recognises this, and supporting the sustainability of all rural areas remains a key priority.

"Employment continues to be strong in rural areas. Incomes are rising. Rural Ireland has a much better overall quality of life.

"This is why the Our Rural Future policy takes a whole-of-government approach to rural development.

"Launched by the then Minister, Heather Humphreys, in 2021, the policy has delivered vital investment and supports to rural areas, strengthening local economies and improving quality of life for people across rural Ireland.

"Significant achievements, which are not acknowledged in the main motion and which is why we have tabled an amendment, include improvements in digital connectivit and the development of a national network of over 400 remote working hubs and improvements in essential services in rural areas.

"Our flagship projects include the rural regeneration development fund, RRDF.

"This has delivered over €440 million to 164 major projects countrywide since 2020, bringing new life into previously dilapidated buildings and structures.

"In that time, over 1,500 projects have been allocated funding of €65 million under the CLÁR programme, funding projects in areas of rural need.

"I have taken on board proposals around emergency first responders. I have seen at first hand the extraordinary work they do.

"In 2025 alone, the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I allocated a spend of €53.8 million on RRDF; €30 million on LIS for non-public roads and laneways; €58 million on SICAP to support disadvantaged urban communities; €21.9 million on the town and village renewal scheme; €58 million on the community services programme, CSP; €16.8 million on the offshore islands for passenger and cargo transport and key infrastructure projects; breis is €12 milliún chun tacaíocht a thabhairt do chúrsaí Gaeltachta; agus breis is €11 milliún chun an Ghaeilge a úsáid sa tríú leibhéal.

"We are now working on a new version of Our Rural Future.We will publish it in the autumn.

"We have done so with a public consultation which gather the views of well over 2,000 participants.

"The engagement was online and included a series of eight public and stakeholder events and a public written consultation. Most importantly, it included a formal rural youth assembly, which we hosted last autumn, ensuring that young people from some of the most rural areas in the country had an input into the policy.

"Key themes that emerged included much of what has been discussed this evening, namely, supporting local economies and strengthening the resilience and sustainability of rural communities, villages and towns, to continue to promote balanced regional development.

"We also commissioned the OECD to do an independent review of rural policy in Ireland as part of the preparation of Our Rural Future.

"That demonstrates we are not precious and we are open to new ideas. That review was published in January of this year.

"It acknowledges the substantial progress that has been made in lreland, both under Our Rural Future and more broadly since the establishment of my Department in 2017 under the then Minister Michael Ring.

"Ireland is recognised as unique among OECD countries for its whole-of-government approach to rural development and for the high level of awareness and visibility given to rural need across departments.

"It is my intention to continue that visibility and awareness. It is my job as Minister for Rural Affairs to put the studs on for rural Ireland.

"That is something we do daily and they are used where is necessary. The plan will be supported by ambitious, clear, practical and measurable actions.

"I have spoken to some of the funding programmes available within my department. We have secured €611 million in budget 2026, the highest ever allocation to the department, which demonstrates my government's commitment to investing in rural communities."