RURAL AFFAIRS MINISTER APPOINTEDLabour TD for Carlow Kilkenny, Ann Phelan, has beenappointed Minister for Rural Affairs with SpecialResponsibility for Rural Economic Development(implementation of the CEDRA Report) and ruraltransport. The CEDRA Report was produced by thelandmark Commission for the Economic Developmentof Rural Areas under Chairman Pat Spillane. It has 34wide-ranging recommendations and Minister Phelanhas already chaired the first meeting of the high-levelInter-Departmental Group which is implementing the34 actions.

Minister Phelan said, “I am delighted to have beenappointed Minister specifically for Rural Affairs which Ibelieve highlights Labour’s longstanding commitmentto rural communities. I understand the challengesfacing rural families and communities and I am fullycommitted to my role in energising Ireland’s ruraleconomy, and in raising awareness at all levels, of thespecific challenges rural areas face. My key priority isto assist economic development and stimulate jobcreation in rural areas.” Senator Lorraine Higgins and Rural Affairs Minister Ann Phelan

STANDING UP FOR RURAL IRELANDDear Constituent,

I have a proven track record of getting things done, and have campaigned onvarious farming issues affecting you to include farm inspections andhighlighting their unfairness, the beef crisis, farm safety and retention ofessential grants to sustain your incomes.

As I have shown in the past, I am not afraid to speak out independently if I feelthe people of Galway East deserve to be heard.

My relentless focus on issues affecting rural Ireland prove that I am committedto improving the standard of living locally and agitating for change.

SENATOR

LORRAINEHIGGINS

FARMERS NEED BETTER BROADBANDThe need to improve broadband access for farmers in Galway East has been raised by Lorraine Higgins with the Minister forCommunications, Energy and Natural Resources, Alex White.

“Many local farmers tell me they are being hampered by slow broadband speeds, and that this is affecting their ability embracenew innovations such as calving cameras and CCTV facilities on farms.

I have told the Minister that an increasing amount of business that farmers do on a daily basis is now moving online, and that inorder to move forward, they need to have easy access to good broadband services

The very health of the rural economy is at stake here, and farm enterprises are key to driving growth and supporting jobs in ruralcommunities. Therefore we should be making every effort to support these enterprises, by supplying farmers with broadbandthat is fast, easy and reliable, and that enables them to grow.”

New figures show that the Live Register has dropped for the 26th month in a row. In August, the unemployment rate stoodat 11.2%, its lowest level since the crisis peak of 15.1% in early 2012. There are now 75,000 more people at work since therecovery began in 2012.

But we remain relentlessly focused on job creation and Labour in government is also determined that communities andjobseekers in rural areas will benefit from the emerging economic recovery. Tánaiste Joan Burton's Department of SocialProtection maintains a range of important programmes and job activation measures to support rural jobseekers including theRural Social Scheme, TÚS, Community Employment, Gateway and JobsPlus. In addition, Tánaiste Joan Burton has appointedMinister Kevin Humphreys as the new Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection who will have specialresponsibility for employment, community and social supports.

Senator Lorraine Higgins with Senator John Kelly at the 2014 Ploughing Championships

Senator Lorraine Higgins with Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tánaiste and Labour leader Joan Burton TD

SUPPORTING RURAL JOBSEEKERS

RURAL SOCIALSCHEMEThe Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is aimed atpeople involved in farming and fishing who areon lower incomes. €45 million has beenprovided for the RSS in 2014 and there arecurrently around 2,400 participants acrossrural Ireland.

The type of work undertaken includes localservices that benefit rural communities andthe RSS schedule allows participation on afarming/fishing-friendly schedule.

TÚSOver €119 million has been allocated for TÚSin 2014. There are more than 7,500 TÚSplaces available which provide a range ofimportant community work placementopportunities for jobseekers including incommunity and voluntary organisations inrural areas. Selection for TÚS occurs throughthe local social protection office.

COMMUNITYEMPLOYMENTCommunity Employment (CE)provides important workexperience and trainingopportunities in ruralcommunities.

There are currently 1,056projects in operation across thecountry with 24,553 CE places.CE offer part-time andtemporary placements in jobsbased within local communitiesto support jobseekers'progression into employmentbased on the experience andnew skills gained on the CEscheme.

THE WILDATLANTIC WAY

There was more encouraging news on the tourism front recently when the latest CSO figures showed a 10.3% rise inoverseas visitors in the first six months of 2014 compared to the same period in 2013. The number of British visitors hasbegun to increase again and all indications are that it will be another record year for visitors from North America.

Since 2011, the government has prioritised supporting the tourism sector as a key driver of economic activity. A series ofimportant measures have been introduced including the abolition of the Air Travel Tax, a reduction in VAT for certain tourismservices and the Visa Waiver Programme. The Gathering was an outstanding success in 2013, and 2014 has seen a major focus onthe promotion of the landmark Wild Atlantic Way. The recent Government Statement of Priorities for 2014-2016 alsocommitted to the publication of a new tourism strategy aimed at adding 50,000 new jobs for the sector over the next decade.

€10 million is being invested in developing andpromoting the landmark Wild Atlantic Waytourism trail that stretches 2,500km from theInishowen Peninsula in Co. Donegal to Kinsale inCo. Cork. With 4,000 road signs marking theroute, the Wild Atlantic Way is a fantastic boostto tourism all along the western seaboard andwill provide significant opportunities for jobcreation and local businesses.

FOCUS ONAGRI-FOOD

SUPPORTING TOURISM

One of the strongest drivers of the emergingeconomic recovery, has been the agri-food sector.The reputation of Ireland as a producer of highquality and unique food products is internationallyrenowned and growing ever stronger.

The agri-food sector supports a significant numberof jobs, in particular in rural Ireland, and there was arecord €10 billion in food and drink exports in2013. The Government Statement of Priorities for2014-2016 includes the targeting of 25,000 extrajobs in the agri-food sector over the next sevenyears, through the implementation of Ireland’s €4 billion Rural Development Programme and the Harvest 2020 Strategy. Theabolition of milk quotas next year will also present new opportunities to increase our global dairy sales with new investmentaround the country.

Senators Lorraine Higgins and John Kelly

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PROTECTING POST OFFICESThe government is fully committed to the sustainability of the post office network. There areno plans to close post offices and, in fact, we fully support the concept of the post office as a“front office of Government”. For example, Tánaiste Joan Burton’s Department of SocialProtection, signed a new contract with An Post which will see the company deliver over €9billion of payments to welfare customers in 2014, involving more than 40 milliontransactions.

The contract will be worth more than €50 million a year to An Post, and will support jobs andcommunities throughout the country.

ROLLING OUT RURALBROADBANDThe provision of high quality broadband services forrural communities and businesses remains a veryimportant government priority. The recentGovernment Statement of Priorities for 2014 to2016 has re-affirmed the commitment to deliverstate-led broadband intervention in rural areas withthe initial phase involving a fibre build-out to over1,100 villages.

A comprehensive mapping exercise is also underway to identify all those areas across the countrythat will require state intervention to deliverbroadband.

Constituency Office:

Piggott Street, Loughrea

Office: 091 842200

Email: lorraine.higgins@oir.ie

Web: www.lorrainehiggins.com

@LorHiggins

Senator Lorraine Higgins