Irish National Rural Network sets up strategic working group (29-09-09)

29/09/2009

What challenges will the changing economic climate have on the structure of farming and on rural communities and how can the Rural Development Programme address these challenges?

This is the question that has been posed to a new strategic issues working group as part of the workings of the Irish National Rural Network. The group, convened by Mr John Molone, met on the 16th of July this year to examine the above question. The core group consisted of Mr Gerry Scully (Teagasc), Mr Gerry Gunning, (Irish Farmers Association), Ms Marie Quirke-O Gorman, (Tipperary Institute), Dr Larry O Connell (NESC), Mr Paul Keating and Mr Ciaran Lynch (RDSU) and Mr Jack Roche (Comhair LEADER na hEireann). The group is hoping to present a series of recommendations aimed at optimising the effectiveness of the Rural Development Programme in addressing issues of concern to stakeholders. This is a challenging task given the constraints and the changes that we are currently presented with, however, it is at times like this that we need to be strategic in identifying priorities and proposing new initiatives. The group is currently conducting a review of relevant research and policy which will inform their work into the future. If this is a topic that interestes you, and towards which you would like to contribute, check out the website http://www.nrn.ie

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