Rural Renewal Scheme ‘a pre-election scam’ - Calleary

Anton McNulty

The €30 million Rural Renewal Scheme was met with a certain level of cynicism by the opposition who has described it as a ‘pre-election scam’ while government TDs feel it will help breath new life into rural market towns.
The new €30m scheme was launched by the government last week with the aim to improve rural towns and villages which have been hit by the economic downturn. Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Rural Economic Development Ann Phelan described the investment package over the next five years as an ‘incredible amount of money’.
However, Mayo Fianna FΡil TD said that the scheme was a ‘pre-election scam’ and would not outdo the damage the government has done to rural Ireland.
“This government has failed to deliver for rural Ireland and the first thing they did in office was to abolish the Department of Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs which meant that the Minister with responsibility for rural Ireland was taken from the cabinet table. Since then they have undermined services and this scheme is in affect a bandaid for the damage done. Announcements made in the next six months need to be put into context by their record on rural Ireland in the last four and a half years which has been appalling,” he said.
Three projects in Mayo are to benefit from €225,000 in funding from the scheme which was welcomed by Mayo Fine Gael TD, Michelle Mulherin.
“I am delighted with the announcement of funding totalling €225,000 for three projects in Mayo under the €30 million Village and Town Renewal Scheme.”
The funding includes €50,000 for two Swinford projects, €125,000 to transform the Military Barracks in Castlebar and another €50,000 to develop a non-weather dependent facility in Geesala.
While welcoming the funding Deputy Mulherin said more was needed to deliver the impact of the economic recovery to rural areas.
“More is needed. I  have put forward such proposals to support small businesses in town centres and to encourage the repopulation of the empty residences in the town centre,” she said.

Disingenuous
Sinn Féin councillor and General Election candidate, Rose Conway-Walsh also criticised the government’s record on rural Ireland and described the scheme as ‘disingenuous’.
“I think the pretend that this will repair the imbalance of the neglect of rural Ireland is disingenuous. €30 million over six years will not make a dent in that imbalance and shows the government does not have serious intention to address the imbalance. If the government are serious about addressing the neglect they need to invest at least €3 for every €1 invested in the east. Unfortunately that is not the case,” she said.
Cllr Conway-Walsh added that funding for the National Rural Development Programme had been cut by €9million and Mayo County Council had lost €17m in the local government fund. She said €30m over six years was ‘in reality an insult’.