29/04/2002

Trimble launches Lisburn rural development strategy

"Northern Ireland’s rural communities are an essential part of our way of life and must be encouraged and assisted," according to the First Minister, David Trimble.

The First Minister was speaking at the recent launch of Laganside Rural Development, which has been established to prepare and implement a rural development strategy for the rural wards of Lisburn Borough.

He said: "The rural community in Northern Ireland is the backbone of our society. In Lisburn, it represents around one third of the population of the Borough and provides vital employment, mainly through the agriculture industry.

"In recent years agriculture has suffered greatly as a result of circumstances outside its control, but the emergence of Laganside Rural Development is a clear sign that the rural community is prepared to help itself. We have had BSE and we have had Foot and Mouth and still the farming community is prepared to take on new challenges.

Mr Trimble said elected representatives had a responsibility to support rural communities and, through the Programme for Government, the Northern Ireland Executive was committed to working together to regenerate the rural community.

He pledged to develop an action plan for the strategic development of the agri-food industry over the next decade.

"Our Vision Exercise is aimed at providing a strategic framework within which government and industry can work together in partnership towards achieving a common set of development objectives for the agri-food sector," he said. "For the wider rural community, we will examine how public services can fairly be provided in these areas to improve social conditions.

"When we were faced with the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease the Executive acted decisively and effectively as soon as the disease was confirmed. Undoubtedly, the restrictions introduced caused inconvenience, but their very nature enabled us to recover from FMD much faster than other UK regions".

The First Minister said that Laganside Rural Development Ltd was an exciting initiative which could act as a model for many other parts of Northern Ireland.

(SP)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

23 July 2014
£623m Allocated For Rural Development Programme
A budget of £623m has been allocated for the Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Programme 2014 - 2020, it has been announced. Rural Minister Michelle O’Neill has said the 2014-2020 RDP budget would be allocated across three specific areas: protecting the rural environment, developing rural economies and competitiveness of agriculture.
03 August 2022
Vigilance Needed To Tackle Rural Crime – DUP
The DUP has called for vigilance to tackle rural crime, following the release of the NFUs Rural Crime Report 2022. The report showed a fall of over 33% in the number of incidents over the last 12 months in Northern Ireland, but that the rural crime in Northern Ireland in 2021 was valued at £1.7m.
17 November 2006
New support brochure for rural enterprises launched
As part of National Enterprise Week 2006, a new support brochure designed specifically for rural businesses called, 'A look at opening your business to new prospects' was launched at Loughry College, Cookstown.
24 January 2011
Hannahstown 'Villagers' Consulted On Plans
'Villagers' in part of west Belfast are to have a say on how their area is developed through a special consultation process to draft up a Village Plan.
07 March 2013
NI Businesswomen Celebrated
To mark International Women's Day on 8 March, a publication has been launched which will feature a range of Northern Irish women who have started their own successful businesses. The publication was announced by Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Michelle O’Neill.