Letter: what happened to our plan for rural development?
"Rural Ireland continues to be caught in a perpetual downward spiral of declining population and loss of services" – Gerard Tobin, Corran, Leap, west Cork
DEAR SIR: Whatever happened to the Action Plan for Rural Development, namely “Realising our Potential”, which was launched by the Government in January 2017? And where is Pat Spillane, the Government ambassador who is supposed to be overseeing this National Plan?
It appears that further taxpayer funding is falling into a deep black hole, as far as rural development is concerned. Our country has become lopsided, while our Government is more concerned with the development of Dublin as the place to work and live. As Pat Spillane and his associates (our elected representatives) continue to sleep at the wheel, rural Ireland continues to experience the following:
Dissolution of the banks in rural towns – banks have closed and the ones that remain open no longer offer the personal contact as we are now expected to deal with faceless technology.
Our Post Office network continues to be eroded. Further mass closures were announced this week.
Further decline in rural population, as local GAA clubs have to combine to field teams.
The survival of rural schools is a concern.
Lack of high-speed broadband facilities for rural businesses.
Closure of rural pubs. The list goes on.
Rural Ireland continues to be caught in a perpetual downward spiral of declining population and loss of services. It is a further reflection of the powerless presence of our elected representatives.
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DEAR SIR: Whatever happened to the Action Plan for Rural Development, namely “Realising our Potential”, which was launched by the Government in January 2017? And where is Pat Spillane, the Government ambassador who is supposed to be overseeing this National Plan?
It appears that further taxpayer funding is falling into a deep black hole, as far as rural development is concerned. Our country has become lopsided, while our Government is more concerned with the development of Dublin as the place to work and live. As Pat Spillane and his associates (our elected representatives) continue to sleep at the wheel, rural Ireland continues to experience the following:
Dissolution of the banks in rural towns – banks have closed and the ones that remain open no longer offer the personal contact as we are now expected to deal with faceless technology.
Our Post Office network continues to be eroded. Further mass closures were announced this week.
Further decline in rural population, as local GAA clubs have to combine to field teams.
The survival of rural schools is a concern.
Lack of high-speed broadband facilities for rural businesses.
Closure of rural pubs. The list goes on.
Rural Ireland continues to be caught in a perpetual downward spiral of declining population and loss of services. It is a further reflection of the powerless presence of our elected representatives.
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