Rural Conversation No. 1: Delivering economic development in rural Ireland

This roundtable feedback event will elicit stakeholders' contributions on the future of economic development for rural Ireland.  The outputs from the event will help to inform the development of future Government policy on rural development.

The first roundtable event, hosted in NUIG, will consider, discuss and elicit rural stakeholders' recommendations on economic development for rural areas under these questions:

1. What are the areas of greatest potential for economic growth in rural communities, and how can we position ourselves to take advantage of these?
2. What are the challenges and opportunities facing rural Ireland with regard to emerging sectors, new technologies, changing skills requirements, new ways of working, and Brexit?
3. What actions are required to (a) assist rural entrepreneurs and businesses to diversify into new sectors, and (b) further develop traditional sectors like agriculture, tourism and forestry?

A further two events in the Rural Conversations series will take place in early 2019, and will focus on the themes of Social Inclusion and Sustainable Rural Communities.  

There will be a rapporteur's report of the series in which we may include names of attendees and their affiliations. The roundtable feedback by the chairs at each roundtable (not the full discussions at the roundtables) will be audio recorded. There may also be a photographer at this event. Please read the attached Transparency and Consent Information document in relation to all of those items.

Supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development, and NUIG​