I welcome this discussion on the future of rural policy and on Our Rural Future. I welcome the opening and consideration of the consultation for same. It is so important people right across this country, whether they are in an urban or rural area, contribute to what they believe the future of rural Ireland should look like and that we reflect on the first phase of this plan in terms of what went right, what went wrong and how we can do better. In this House, and in many parliaments across the world, the question we always have to ask ourselves is: how can we do better? For rural Ireland there are a few key areas I believe we can really improve things and over the coming years use this policy as the document that guides everything we do to improve rural Ireland. Particularly for Our Rural Future, I want to talk about rural transport because many people love rural Ireland because they can work, live and contribute there and it is vital they have transport to access labour in our towns, cities and in areas of high industrial activity. The way we will do that and make rural Ireland more connected is through an enhancement of investment in rural links and in the Local Link service. In east Galway, we have seen many Local Link services enhanced over the past few years and they have been an absolute game-changer. However, many areas remain without this service and that leaves people isolated and unconnected. People need to have that opportunity to avail of Local Link transport, not just for the sake of transport but for the sake of connection and community. To get rid of rural isolation, we need to make sure our elderly people can access this service as well. Another thing that needs to be considered is how we are delivering housing in rural Ireland and where there are blockages. A significant issue I see is that young people are not able to build using shared entrances into national roads. That is a Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, problem and it is a roads problem but it is a priority for Our Rural Future because young people are being encouraged to go 6 km or 7 km down the road and build on a bóithrín, only to drive back and forth multiple times per day to tend to the farm at home. To be honest, that is absolute madness. We need to take a common sense, practical approach to our rural planning that allows people to build close to home and beside their parents so that when care needs arise in a home, the family will be there to care for one another. That is something that is really important in rural Ireland as well. There are so many villages that are never going to be serviced or see a sewerage network, but they should not be choked because of that. They should not be stifled when it comes to development. People should be allowed to build homes in those villages. I welcome what the Minister, Deputy Browne, is doing with the developer-led wastewater treatment systems for projects of up to 40 units. Policies of that nature will allow these villages to thrive and to grow and will encourage people to live in them, which would mean that there could be more services and greater support right across rural Ireland. Remote working hubs formed part of the previous Our Rural Future policy. Many of these hubs were established but were never given current funding to ensure that they were maintained or that they could employ managers. Every county should have a remote working hub manager who can manage all of the hubs in their county remotely. Those people could ensure that the hubs are kept going and are financially viable.

Sentiment score: 0.33