Group says rural Ireland is dying on its feet

 

An independent think-tank and justice advocacy organisation has warned that rural communities are coming under unprecedented pressures and many are fighting for survival.
Social Justice Ireland was commenting in the wake of the publication of its 2013 Socio-Economic Review.
The report found:
- Poverty is more likely to occur in rural areas than urban areas. In 2011 the risk of poverty in rural Ireland was 4.6 percentage points higher than in urban Ireland with ‘at risk’ rates of 18.8 per cent and 14.2 per cent respectively.
- Those in farming comprise just one quarter of the rural labour force. Agriculture, forestry and fishing account for only 85,600 people employed in Ireland.
- Direct CAP payments comprised 73% of farm income in 2011. 65% of farms in Ireland have an income of less than €20,000 per annum.
- The lack of an accessible, integrated and reliable public transport service is one of the key challenges for rural dwellers, who shoulder a disproportionate share of the burden of insufficient public transport.
“The impact of sustained high levels of unemployment and subsequent high levels of emigration among young people in rural communities cannot be overestimated. These developments have led to a loss of young people in rural communities” according to Michelle Murphy, Research and Policy Analyst with Social Justice Ireland.
Ms. Murphy went on to state “by failing to support young people to stay in their communities Government is potentially failing to address a key aspect of sustainability while supporting an emergence of an ageing demographic profile for rural areas which undermines both employment and growth targets”.
“In order to improve the quality of life in rural areas and rural communities’ opportunities must be created so that the rural economy can develop much needed alternative enterprises. In order to do so an integrated rural transport system and the provision of quality broadband to rural communities must be a priority.”
“Government is also failing to deal with the new challenges an ageing population brings to rural areas in relation to health services, social services and accessibility for older and less mobile people. Employment, diversification of rural economies, adapting to demographic changes and supporting young people to stay in their communities are areas that need immediate attention” according to Michelle Murphy, Research and Policy Analyst with Social Justice Ireland.