Fear not people of rural Ireland for your overlords have appointed the one and only Pat Spillane as the chairman of Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA). The new group has been tasked with developing a strategy for how funding for rural development will be channeled in the future. The group which was created by the government last month will hold 20 public meetings before reporting back with their final strategy next October.
Spillane said:
I am passionate about it. I am chomping at the bit.
I want rural Ireland to survive and thrive and have people living in it. We need rural renewal. We need to draw a line in the sand. We need to create jobs. We need to simulate rural areas.
I will be travelling the country listening and talking to people. I don't believe in talking shops. I believe in action. I am not in it for the money. I am not in it for a launch pad for a political career. I just want to put something back in. It is about creating a strong and diverse rural area. It's not about disregarding indigenous industry.
I'm sure that we can all agree that there was no better person to head this group than a GAA analyst and a retired secondary school Principal.
Quotes via Independent.ie
