Government once more fails rural & Gaeltacht communities - Ó Clochartaigh
Sinn Féin Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh criticised today’s Budget for its failure to adequately address rural communities as well as its virtual neglect of Gaeltacht communities.
Senator Ó Clochartaigh said:
“This year’s budget has very little to offer
rural and Gaeltacht communities.
“Although
some changes to the agriculture budget to encourage young farmers to come in to
the sector are welcome, we have seen no positive moves in relation to Farm
Assist or to replace REPS payments.
“We
have seen nothing to reverse the decline in rural populations and putting an
end to emigration.
“Nothing
has been done to reverse the cuts to teachers in rural schools.
“The
tax reliefs on water charges discriminate against people on group water schemes
and those living in rural areas.
“The
Irish language and Gaeltacht communities will be disappointed at virtually no
increase in funding, in particular to support the implementation of the twenty
year strategy for the Irish language.
“On
top of this, people in peripheral areas in the west and north west have lower
incomes and will gain much less from the changes to the tax and USC regimes
than others.
“Sinn
Féin's alternative budget would have put more money in the pockets of these people,
provided more funding to Gaeltacht and rural communities and would have gone
further to eliminate poverty and emigration which is the scourge of rural
communities nationwide.”