The Future of Rural Areas ?

What will the Global Services landscape look like in 2031,what will it mean for Ballyhoura and

where are the opportunities for investors, businesses, farmers, individuals and communities across the Ballyhoura

Development area?

Paradigm Shift

• “Traditional policies to subsidise farming have not been able to harness the potential of these economic engines. (OECD)

• Promoting rural development, poses policy challenges that requires co-ordination across sectors, levels of government, and between public and private actors.

• Countries are considering a paradigm shift in their approaches to accommodate such important challenges.

• The most defining characteristics of this shift are a focus on places rather than sectors and an emphasis on investments rather than subsidies.”

“We are where we are”

• Rural development thinking

• Dependency on subsidies

• Role of Partnerships

• Current economic situation

• Resilience

Rural Economic Activities

• Food

• Services

• Farming

• Tourism

• Manufacturing

• Information Technology

Food

• Food is worth €20bn of our GNP and €8bn of total exports.

• All monies stay in Ireland

• Ballyhoura and other Leader companies have lead the way

• The Leader Tent at the ploughing is an example

Services

• Transport • Access to a range of Health services.• Access to training and to further education• Accesses to local services i.e. post office, local banking,

fire stations.• Water - The collection of waste - Child care - after

school activity• Youth provision.• Rural security - rural policing - Community alert. • Financial services • Environmental services – fuel – water – landscape

protection

Service Threats

• Post Offices

• Transport

• Non-specialised health care

• Technology

• Cost of everything

• Services to the local economy

Carnegie Findings

• Growing the capacity of people, agencies and professionals who support rural communities;

• Enhancing community assets of all kinds• Community-led planning• An enhanced role and community groups• Centre for Excellence supporting rural

community development policy and practice on the ground.

Carnegie Report

Scenarios

• Current crisis

• Global Context

• Energy/Environment

• Economic Drivers

• Social Services

• Community capacity

Future Ireland Findings

• New forms of cross-fertilisation between the economy, society and public governance.

• Innovation and learning are systematic and should confront challenges at three levels—institutional, inter-personal and personal;

• Systematic review.• Innovation and learning cannot flourish, without

profound change to our organisational systems, particularly our systems of control and accountability

Reflections

• Ballyhoura region will be influenced by the current recession. All economists agree that the effects of decision making buy government will still be felt in 2030.

• it is likely that systems of delivery will always be devised on the basis of cost.

• Services that are not commercially viable will require the assistance of the state, through its various agencies and also will depend on the capacity of voluntary organisations.

• The innate advantages of Ballyhoura in terms of its capacity to develop its agriculture and food sector is essential. Its nearness to Limerick is a positive.

• Community planning coupled with a continuous programme of community skills training is essential.

Reflections

• Future re-organisation of local, regional administration will influence investment in the region

• Ballyhoura as a potential catalyst can initiate strategic partnerships that are recognised by national and international agencies.

• Opportunities to develop non agricultural and food activities will be broadly complimented by the overall performance of food and agriculture.

• A concerted plan that develops new and innovative up-skilling and re-training will enhance the region’s ability to attract investment.

• Environmental themes will need to permeate all regional plans, so that the region will be competitive