Rural Ireland in Uncertain Times

Teagasc will host a major conference on rural development, entitled ‘Rural Ireland in Uncertain Times’ on Thursday next, 8 October 2009 in the Silver Springs Hotel, Cork.

The conference brings together rural enterprise development experts, analysts, policy makers and practitioners to debate the impact of the recession and current concerns affecting life in rural Ireland. The expert panel of speakers will explore and debate the implications of current trends impacting on the rural economy, rural employment and rural enterprises. Given the ongoing economic downturn it is an opportune time for the conference to take place as rural Ireland faces considerable uncertainty. The rapid decline of the construction industry combined with a long-term decline in rural manufacturing businesses has exposed rural communities to significant and rapid changes. This conference provides a forum to discuss how sustainable rural development can be achieved in the years ahead. Analyses of the impact of the recession on the rural economy, local labour markets and farm families will be presented.

Key areas for the future development of rural Ireland including land use, land markets, enterprise creation, the local labour market, skills, investment, productivity and debt, will all be discussed at the conference. Work carried out by Teagasc Rural Economy Research Centre on the economics of Irish land markets will also be presented.

Prof. Gerry Boyle, Teagasc director, said: “In the coming years we will see better educated and trained farmers and rural entrepreneurs applying science-based knowledge to exploit opportunities to develop new, innovative and competitive products and services that can be exported globally. In this way the rural economy will contribute to, and be a partner in national, social and economic recovery.”

The afternoon session of the conference will focus on enterprise creation in rural Ireland, bringing together rural enterprise development experts, representatives from rural agencies, analysts, policy makers and practitioners to debate the issues. An open discussion on the opportunities for creative developments in rural areas, and the entrepreneurial activities currently talking place in the countryside will conclude the day’s event.

Conference places are free of charge, but limited. For more information see www.teagasc.ie/events/