Protecting Rural Ireland: Motion
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-15
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Fiona O'Loughlin (FF), Administrative Panel

I move amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after "That Seanad Éireann:" and substitute the following:
“acknowledges that:
- supporting rural Ireland is a top priority for Government;
- a whole of Government approach to rural development is in place under the umbrella of Our Rural Future; this approach has been strongly endorsed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in its recent review of Irish rural development policy;
- since its launch in 2021, Our Rural Future has delivered vital investment and supports to rural areas, strengthening local economies and improving the quality of life for people across rural Ireland;
- significant achievements across the lifetime of the Our Rural Future policy to date include:
- unprecedented growth in Government investment in rural areas under the Rural Development Investment Programme;
- improvements in digital connectivity through delivery of the National Broadband Plan;
- the delivery of the Connected Hubs Network of over 400 remote working hubs;
- continued improvements in essential services including community healthcare and public transport in rural areas;
- targeted supports for regional employment and enterprise growth delivered by Government in partnership with our enterprise agencies;
- the broadening of educational opportunities for rural dwellers through initiatives such as the establishment of four new Technological Universities;
- continued support for the central role of the agri-food sector as a key driver of our economic growth and our environmental ambition;
- progress on climate and environmental sustainability in rural areas, including via enhanced local opportunities in key areas such as retrofitting and renewable energy;
- implementation of the Rural Safety Plan and the rollout of Local Community Safety Partnerships;
notes that:
- between 2016 and 2022 there was a 5.8 per cent increase in the number of people living in rural areas;
- a new iteration of Our Rural Future for the period 2026-2031 is currently being finalised;
- this new policy will continue the whole of Government approach, building on the progress and investment delivered to date and setting out a renewed vision for the years ahead;
- the new policy is firmly rooted in an extensive public consultation process that has ensured the voices of rural communities across the country are being taken account of;
- it will also ensure that rural Ireland continues to benefit from extensive and strategic investment; for example, there are more schemes available through the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht than ever before, with the highest ever budget allocation of €611 million in Budget 2026;
- importantly, the new policy will be underpinned by ambitious actions for delivery across Government with clear reporting in place in relation to progress;
- and rural Ireland remains a central plank in our national economic and social wellbeing, and support for rural Ireland remains a central priority across Government.”
It is a pleasure to speak on behalf of Fianna Fáil on this motion.
It is important we take every opportunity we can to talk about rural Ireland and look at ways to strengthen rural Ireland and the people who live there, while protecting biodiversity and the land of which we are custodians.
I support the countermotion. Today, there are more people living and working in rural Ireland than at any other time in the history of the State. They can only do that with the supports the Government has put in place. One example is the roll-out of high-speed broadband nationwide. It got off to a rocky start, but it is now thankfully ahead of schedule. The increase in remote working means more people now have the opportunity to live close to where they grew up and in the communities which formed parts of them and to have that intergenerational aspect. That is hugely important. Some 400 remote working hubs were also put in place, particularly following the Covid-19 pandemic, when we all had the realisation that some work - not all work - can be done remotely.
The local enterprise boards are doing an incredible job in rural areas. I am speaking from experience. A lot of people think Kildare is urban, but a lot of it is rural, particularly south Kildare, where I am from. The local enterprise office is second to none in helping to support rural enterprises. We have seen a lot more of them in recent years, particularly around the blueways and greenways. It is wonderful to see them and to see the support they are getting.
We need to recognise the distinct needs and opportunities of rural Ireland. Planning was mentioned and the draft planning statement that was introduced two weeks ago goes a long way towards that. No matter where any of us live, as public representatives we have no doubt seen situations where people could not build on their land and generations of families could not live beside their parents. That meant that perhaps parents could not help with children and as they got older, they could not have support. I hope that will be resolved in the new planning guidelines. They are just a draft at the moment and we have to go through the process. It was an incredible vote of investment in our rural future.
The Our Rural Future policy has supported rural Ireland in many ways, particularly in helping to develop community resilience. I was asked recently on a radio programme who lobbies for community centres. I am a firm believer in having strong community centres. My genuine answer was that community centres do not need a lobby group because the Minister, Deputy Calleary, has done so much in helping to support community centres - the next call will be for new ones - to modernise and add on. I have seen it in my local community centre in Rathangan and it is great. It is also about supporting GAA clubs and other sporting clubs, which we are certainly doing through sports capital grants, the next round of which will open at the end of this month. Our local authorities are also supporting local festivals through national funding a lot more than they used to.
The Minister is working on the new iteration of Our Rural Future for the period 2026 to 2031. The consultation process was important. In eight different areas, people had the opportunity to come physically. There was also an online process and a youth assembly process because the voices of young people are hugely important, as is encouraging them to live in their areas.
I agree with the comments on transport. Connectivity is hugely important. I am lucky to live in a place that has a good train service - it could always be improved - which makes a big difference, and the Local Link is generally working well. Again, there are a few gaps. I genuinely feel for those in rural areas who do not have connectivity. It is vital for every generation, such as an older person who cannot drive any more and needs to be able to go and get a prescription filled independently, without having to ask a family member. My family is going through that at the moment and I completely understand how difficult it is for people who have been independent all their lives to be dependent if no public transport is available. It is important for young people in opportunities for work and study and now, because there are issues with accommodation around universities, it is important they have the option to travel. That point was well made.
I was at the Irish Farmers Association, IFA, today. The ongoing negotiations on the multi-annual financial framework, MFF, are crucial to the IFA, particularly around the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, and food security. The Senator is also correct in saying we need the guidelines on wind energy and solar farms. While we have to support renewables, there must be guidelines. I have raised this previously in relation to equestrian land. I have seen good stud farm land going to solar farms. We should have solar panels on all our farm buildings. They could be subsidised and supported.
Therefore, when we talk about Our Rural Future-----

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-07-15/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:52:16+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-15