Commitment to the EU Rural Pact – Ministry of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht of Ireland
Public authorities across Europe are increasingly demonstrating political leadership and long-term commitment to strengthening rural areas through the Rural Pact.
As part of this growing community, the Ministry of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht of Ireland has formalised its engagement by submitting a national political commitment to the Pact. This commitment aligns Ireland with the shared goals of the EU rural vision.
Committed actions
The commitment builds on Ireland’s ‘whole-of-government’ rural development policy framework, Our Rural Future, and its tradition of community-led local development through LEADER. The commitment sets out the following three areas of action:
- Continuing the implementation of Ireland’s ‘whole-of-government’ rural development policy: through Our Rural Future 2026-2031, Ireland commits to investing in rural infrastructure, improving access to public services, supporting rural economic development, strengthening resilient and inclusive communities, and supporting rural contributions to climate action and environmental sustainability.
The policy also aims to strengthen cross-government coordination, consideration of rural impacts in national plans and programmes, stakeholder participation, including among young people, and the use of rural data and research to inform policymaking. - Supporting rural development within the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF): the Ministry commits to supporting the continued prioritisation of rural development, including appropriate funding provision for the common agricultural policy (CAP) and continued recognition and support for LEADER in strengthening rural communities.
- Promoting rural priorities in future National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs): the Ministry commits to promoting the integration of rural development priorities into future NRPPs, reflecting the diverse needs of rural communities and supporting a broad range of rural development interventions.
© European Union, 2026
Commitment signing and acknowledgement
The commitment was officially signed by Mr Dara Calleary, Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, at the High-level Rural Policy Forum of 3-4 November 2026 in Naas, Ireland.
Public authorities’ commitments to the Rural Pact
Commitments by public authorities are voluntary actions intended to implement some of the elements identified as key to achieving the objectives of the Rural Pact at national and regional levels, such as strengthened governance, funding coordination, rural proofing and stakeholder engagement.
They help ensure that the ten shared goals of the EU rural vision guide policies across all levels of government.
All public authorities’ commitments to the Rural Pact Submission process for public authorities More Rural Pact actions in Ireland