SAYING THAT he might now be prepared to consider a short extension of the time limits, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has again criticised rural development companies which have not held elections before submitting development plans.
Éamon Ó Cuív told the National Rural Development Forum at Charleville, Co Cork, that he was disappointed that so few of the 50 companies involved had done so before the July 4th closing date.
“As you know, the new Rural Development Programme was launched recently. The closing date for the receipt of the plans under the new programme is July 4th.
“I am disappointed to learn that so few of the companies have not yet been fully formed with the election of a chairperson, despite the work of the last three years,” Mr Ó Cuív added.
“Now is the hour of action and in the interest of openness and democracy, I am calling on all of the companies to immediately finalise their board structures and the election of chairpersons, and that these would then sign off on the new plans under the National Rural Development Plan,” the Minister said.
“In order to facilitate the process, I am willing to consider a short extension of the closing date, if requested, to facilitate this. Unfortunately, such an extension would delay the process somewhat, but I believe that as the plans will be operative until 2013, it is better to get it right and be inclusive than to rush it through,” he added.
Mr Ó Cuív said the population living in rural areas had experienced a recovery in recent years following decades of decline.
The most recent census shows that an increase of approximately 150,000 people living in rural areas between 1996-2006 meant that approximately 40 per cent of the population are still living in a rural part of the country.