Minister for Rural and Community Development statement on declining population in rural Ireland and the impacts it will have on sports clubs.

The Minister States:

I am aware of the recent reports of rural GAA clubs facing challenges in terms of player numbers and of the importance of such clubs as focal points and hubs for our communities. I am also aware that the GAA itself is committed to working within their communities and at a national level to address such challenges via their National Demographics Committee and their county demographics officers

While specific policies and supports for the GAA would fall under the remit of Sport Ireland or the Minister for Sport, the Government's Our Rural Future policy contains a wide range of measures aimed at ensuring that all rural areas are attractive places for people to study, live, work and raise their families.

Given the nature of the issues at hand, the policy takes a whole-of-Government approach to rural development, and actions undertaken under the current policy which can be seen to support our aims of increasing the population in rural areas include improvements in rural transport, broadband provision, support for rural enterprise, and ongoing support for the agri-food sector.

Within my own Department, there has been significant funding increases in recent years across the range of capital investment schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.

These schemes continue to provide vital supports to rural communities and I have witnessed first hand in recent weeks the very real and tangible impacts that these projects can have in rural towns and villages all across the country.

The programme for Government includes a commitment to publish and implement a new Our Rural Future policy from 2026 and the process of developing this strategy has already begun. It is vital that this process will build on the momentum on the current Our Rural Future policy.

My Department has commenced a programme for consultations which will help shape the new policy, and many of these issues relating to attracting and retaining young people and their families has already featured strongly.

I look forward to the finalisation of the new Our Rural Future policy, which will provide the framework for the Governments ongoing commitment to and support of rural Ireland.