RURAL IRELAND could be hit by a recession-driven crime wave because of the economic downturn, the annual general meeting of Irish Rural Link (IRL) was told yesterday.
The grouping, which represents 300 rural and community organisations, heard that there had been a 17.5 per cent rise in violent robberies in the UK in the past year, and concern was expressed that Garda cutbacks could exacerbate a similar trend here.
IRL has written to Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern seeking an urgent meeting aimed at preventing the closure of any rural Garda stations. It believes single-garda stations are in danger of being shut down, although Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy has said he had no such plans.
IRL is also seeking the establishment of a review group on rural policing.
"A recent UK study has identified a recession crime-wave in rural areas, and this is likely to be mirrored in rural areas here. The study describes a 17.5 per cent increase in violent robberies in rural areas of England and Wales over the past year, which it directly attributes to the economic downturn," said Seamus Boland, IRL chief executive.
"According to the Garda Representative Association, the recently announced hiring ban would start a downward spiral which will affect rural Ireland first as the average age of members of the force is older outside the cities," he told the Waterford conference.
Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen predicted at the conference that Irish people would turn away from the "more plastic type" tourist developments and seek out quality B&Bs and farmhouse holidays.
He told the conference at the Eco Park Dunhill he was confident in the quality of the tourist product, and that money would be available to help the small groups come together and market their products in an innovative way.
He said tourism was one of the best-positioned industries to contribute to regional development and renewal in Ireland.
The sector already employed approximately 280,000 people across the country and was the mainstay of employment in many rural areas.
"A number of strategies are being employed to further the objective, namely the provision of funding for tourism marketing, investment in tourism product development and support for the industry through the provision of training for workers and a range of business supports," he said.
The Minister said that, as proof of the commitment to rural tourism, Fáilte Ireland was investing €900,000 in smaller festivals in regional areas this year.