Plan in place to establish Clare as one of the 'best places to live, work and invest'
An UPDATED development strategy for rural Clare aims to unlock the county's potential across a wide range of areas, and will "challenge" urban living as the only possible model for the future.
The Renewed Clare Rural Development Strategy 2030 is based on a review of the implementation of the first Clare Rural Development Strategy by the members of the Clare Rural Development Forum.
The first strategy, adopted in 2017, aimed to establish Clare as one of the best places in Ireland in which to live, work and invest, and that commitment has been reiterated in the Renewed Strategy.
At its official launch last Friday, the Renewed Clare Rural Development Strategy 2030 was announced to hopefully improve on ten objectives, including; social enterprises, multi-service centres and digital broadband, co-operating communities, managing the environment and transitioning to carbon neutrality, supporting and growing age-friendly initiatives, sustaining rural way of life through agriculture and marine communities, enhancement of transport and water/wastewater infrastructure, supporting education and child/youth services, building tourism, population and growth balance, and meeting the needs of new communities.
The Clare Rural Development Forum consists of community and voluntary groups, local development bodies, public representatives and key state agencies, and is chaired by Clare County Council Chief Executive, Pat Dowling.
Cllr Tony O’Brien, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, said: "Improving the lives of those living and working in Clare’s rural communities is a priority for the Clare Rural Development Forum.
"There is a huge untapped potential in rural Clare for both jobs and tourism, where there are strong communities with ideas and ambitions for their futures. The aim of this Renewed Strategy is to further unlock that potential."
As Chair of the Clare Rural Development Fund, Pat Dowling, Chief Executive, Clare County Council, said: "Rural Clare is rich in culture, heritage and natural capital.
"This renewed strategy continues to challenge the thinking that urban living is the only model for the future. Our strategy, even more so now, will focus its aims on delivering jobs, multi-service centres, co-operating towns and parishes, environmental programmes, age-friendly communities, vibrant rural ways of life, digitally supported communities and a range of infrastructure."
Leonard Cleary, Director of Rural Development in Clare County Council, thanked members of Clare County Council, the Oireachtas, and government ministers for their support, as well as, "all of the organisations [who] have collaborated, delivered projects jointly and continued to engage with the Rural Development Forum process over the last number of years."
Bernadette Haugh, Senior Executive Officer, Rural Development Directorate, Clare County Council, added: "When the government launched its second national rural policy – ‘Our Rural Future’ – in March 2021, County Clare was already well placed to take advantage of the opportunities and targeted funding set out in national policy, which is supported by 150 commitments across Government, to address the challenges facing communities and deliver new opportunities for people living in rural areas across Ireland.
"The review of the Clare Rural Development Strategy commenced in 2021 to align the national vision for a thriving rural Ireland with our local strategy."
The implementation of the Renewed Clare Rural Development Strategy 2030 will be monitored and evaluated by the Clare Rural Development Forum.