Fianna Fáil TD Eugene Murphy has welcomed the rural renovation home grants to restore properties in small towns and villages as a part of the Governments long term Action Plan for Rural Ireland but added that the proposal needs to be in addition to an action plan on jobs for rural Ireland.
Commenting on the issue Eugene Murphy said “While I welcome the scheme that is aimed at luring all house buyers, but specifically older people and first-time buyers, back into rural communities that were decimated by unemployment during the recession, unless the Government give us a plan for jobs in rural Ireland it is not enough to ensure the future of our rural villages and towns.
Deputy Murphy went on to say “The loss of population in rural Ireland is not connected with the lack of housing it is due to the loss of employment therefore the focus needs to be on job creation so that young people want to stay in rural Ireland or relocate to rural Ireland. The climate in rural Ireland at the moment is unsustainable for many young families as there is little or no investment in job creation and while this is the case there is little hope for the saviour of our towns and villages.”