Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs to visit Meath and Cavan as part of hearings on sustaining rural communities

The Committee will host a meeting in the Lawrence Hotel in Athboy, Co Meath from 9.00 am to 12.00 pm on Friday, 26 May 2017.

The following persons and groups have been invited to attend this discussion:

Meath and Westmeath Job Clubs; Kells and District, Chamber of Commerce and Mullingar Chamber of Commerce; Athboy Community Development Group and Westmeath Community Development Group; Meath and Westmeath Local Enterprise Offices; Public representatives for the Athboy, Co Meath and the Castlepollard, Co Westmeath areas; and Officials of Meath and Westmeath County Councils.

The meeting will begin with an introduction from Peadar Tóibín TD, the Cathaoirleach of the Committee, who will outline the objectives of the Committee in its project ‘What it takes to sustain a viable rural community’ and how this is applicable in the Athboy and Castlepollard areas.  Each of the groups and each public representative in attendance will then be asked to make a 5-minute contribution.  This will be followed by a general discussion.  

A second meeting will be hosted in the Bailie Hotel in Bailieborough, Co Cavan from 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm on Friday, 26 May 2017.

Committee member Niamh Smyth TD will outline the objectives of the Committee in its project What it takes to sustain a viable rural community and how this is applicable in the Bailieborough, Cootehill and Carrickmacross areas. Cathaoirleach of the Committee Peadar Tóibín will address the meeting on The future of community, social and economic development and cooperation in border counties.

Among those invited to attend this discussion are:

Cavan Job Club and Monaghan Job Club; Cavan and Monaghan Chambers of Commerce; Bailieborough Community Employment; Cootehill Community Employment; Cavan and Monaghan Local Enterprise Offices; Lakeland Dairies;
Officials of Cavan and Monaghan County Councils; Public representatives for the Bailieborough and Cootehill, Co Cavan and the Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan areas.

Cathaoirleach of the Committee Peadar Tóibín said: “Many parts of rural Ireland face ongoing challenges in terms of declining populations, a lack of jobs, a shortage of enterprise and poor infrastructure. For border communities, the issue has been compounded by uncertainty over Brexit. The communities in the border region are dependent on each other for their continued economic growth and the potential imposition of a hard border following Brexit would have a serious detrimental impact on their continued economic growth and cohesion.

As we continue to focus on what it takes to sustain a viable rural community, it is important that we meet people on the ground in their local communities to get their perspectives on the key issues facing rural Ireland. It is hoped that these meetings will provide a practical and hands-on aspect to the Committee’s current projects ‘What it takes to sustain a viable rural community’ and ‘The future of community, social and economic development and cooperation in border counties’ and that it will facilitate the Committee in including local on-the-ground evidence gathered from two rural communities.”