IFA President Eddie Downey has called on the Government to introduce a charter for rural Ireland to drive economic recovery across the country.

Downey has said that the delivery of a balanced economic recovery across the country will require the Government to introduce targeted policies and increase investment in the rural economy.

Speaking to journalists at the RDS Dublin Horse Show today (August 6) he said that the most recent Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures show contrasting unemployment rates across the country, ranging from 8.8% in Dublin to 12 and 13% in the West, Midlands and South-East regions.

“This highlights the need for Government to introduce more targeted measures, to ensure the economic recovery is better balanced across the regions.

“Investment in rural enterprises outside of the main urban areas must be a strategic focus of Government,” he said.

Furthermore, the IFA President said that as a priority, the Government must deliver on its funding commitment for farm schemes under the Rural Development Programme (RDP) in this year’s budget, to underpin the growth and exports targets of Food Wise 2025.

The IFA President also said that for the 440,000 households that live and work in rural Ireland and for those who holiday or simply enjoy the countryside, the following needs to be introduced:

Increased and measurable targets for policing hours and presence of mobile units in rural areas by An Garda Siochana, to reduce crime and create a greater sense of security in the countryside.
An increased and ring-fenced annual rural roads budget from the Department of Transport, allocated to local authorities as part of a planned repair and maintenance programme.
An increase in the number of voluntary rural walk schemes to support economic development and tourism in rural areas.
A package of measures from the Department of Transport to facilitate the development of proposed Greenway projects, while protecting farmers’ rights.
Increased fines and greater enforcement by local authorities to tackle the scourge of littering by passing motorists and users of the countryside.