Rural East Galway is currently earmarked for fossil fuel power plants and wind farms and little else. Not everything needs to be a big business quick fix – we can make iterative improvements to life in rural Ireland – all we need is the will, the energy and the funding.

We need positive investment in sustainable rural enterprise to avoid becoming the dumping ground for Dublin’s hi-tech green future. Here are some of the ideas I will pursue as a TD: 

• Unhindered access to high-speed broadband: It is incredible to think that after all that has been spent on the National Broadband plan, some areas of east Galway are still without high-speed internet access. This is a basic requirement for modern day commerce.
• Modernisation grants: Rural businesses suffered massively during the economic crash and have not been able to reinvest in their premises as they get by covering costs. Grants to reinvigorate retail premises and upgrading production facilities would boost the attractiveness of such businesses for customers and employees. 
• Better public transport: We are being told to use public transport for climate reasons, yet there is no joined up thinking in how this is delivered. Public / private co-operation is vital in this area and would breathe new life into rural towns. 
• Mentorship programmes: The entrepreneurial spirit of rural residents needs support from people who have “been there and done that” and mentoring can be the difference between success and failure in business. 
• Digital Literacy Training: Finding time to learn digital literacy is difficult for small business owners – self-paced training can help advance the skills and provide a platform for small business growth. 
• Small business marketing supports: Similar to the last point, know-how is a critical success factor. Shared marketing supports for rural businesses are used successfully in Spain and other markets and a co-op marketing initiative could help many rural businesses to thrive. The ideas are there but it’s down to how well they are executed. 
• Supports for local markets and virtual markets: Given the appetite for small scale businesses and cottage industry in rural Ireland, co-ordinated local markets and virtual markets would be valuable outlets for selling crafts and other local produce. 
• Start-up & relocation grants for small rural businesses: Incentivising businesses and people to relocate to rural Ireland would give towns and villages a much needed boost in terms of population and commercial activity and would reduce congestion in Galway city which is suffering badly due to traffic. 
• Experiential Tourism: With a rich cultural heritage, many new micro-business opportunities could be developed to supplement farm incomes and low rural incomes including farm stays, heritage tours, school tours, eco-tourism etc. 
• Rural Ireland Certification & Co-operative programme: This kind of innovative programme would give artisan food producers and craft producers an opportunity to promote premium produce to an international audience. 

We don’t have to be resigned to the decline of rural Ireland. Dublin is the focus of investment for government for many, many years but with the right voices challenging the status quo, we can improve the quality of life for rural Irish residents.