A major public forum on rural Ireland will take place tomorrow in Millstreet entitled “Rural Ireland Looking to the Future”. Topics will include energy, agriculture, fishing, tourism, broadband and education. One of the big issues will be poverty: The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) are frightening: 363,000 people are at risk of poverty; 486,000 are suffering deprivation; and 138,000 are living in constant poverty — double that of four years ago.
There will be no politicians. Dr Jerry Cowley MD, Dr Brendan O’Keeffe, University of Limerick, Dr.Geraldine Mooney, Simme, of the University of Limerick’s faculty of education and health science, Dr Elizabeth Hourihane, National Citizens’ Movement representative, Claudia Kennedy, of TUI, and Maura Walsh, of IRD Duhallow, are among those who will be speaking.
It’s hoped a new working group for rural Ireland will be established following the meeting tomorrow which will take place in the Community School Hall in Millstreet from 9:30am to 7pm.
One of the organisers, Castletownbere native Michael O’Sullivan said on Radio Kerry today that studies show that poverty is a huge issue in rural Ireland:
Links:
http://www.live95fm.ie/News-Sport/Article/?ItemID=20207
http://www.radiokerry.ie/news/major-public-forum-on-rural-ireland-to-take-place-tomorrow/
http://www.irishexaminer.com/viewpoints/yourview/join-effort-to-combat-poverty-in-rural-ireland-291481.html
Could I suggest that the Forum propose the establishing of a Townland Planning Department alongside the numerous Town Planning Departments.
That could be a means of dealing with what is seen as the “problems” of rural Ireland
Jack Lane