Sinn Féin spokesperson for Agriculture and Rural Development Martin Kenny TD has called for a renewed focus on investment in rural Ireland. His comments follow a report from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council that details the staggering failure of government to invest in infrastructure across Ireland.

Teachta Kenny said:

“This latest IFAC report will not be a surprise to those of us living and working in rural Ireland. We have known the realities of underinvestment for decades. We see it every day in our communities.

“Rural Ireland, and in particular the west and northwestern area, have suffered from a failure by each successive government to invest in our infrastructure. Our health services, housing, transport, and school building projects have been left to whither by successive governments.

“This IFAC report further underlines that both rural and urban Ireland have been neglected. As rural Ireland was already on the back foot when it came to investment, this comes as a further blow.

“I value rural Ireland – we have so much to offer. And we cannot and should not be left behind.

“This is why Sinn Féin have included the building of 60,000 self-build rural homes as part of our transformative housing plan. This will be accompanied by meaningful reform of planning laws to solve issues faced by those wanting to build on their own land, in their own communities.

“We have committed to a Rural Health Commission to deliver health care, home care, and disability services tailored to meet the very specific needs of people living in rural areas.

“I have made a personal commitment to establish a Commission on the Future of Family Farming as part of a Sinn Féin government.

“Rural Ireland deserves better than the decades of failure delivered to them by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.”