Government Outlines 2026–2031 Rural Policy With €500m Capital Commitment
Wednesday 4 November 2026
Minister for Rural and Community Development Dara Calleary has detailed the new Our Rural Future policy, confirming €500 million in capital funding between 2026 and 2028.
The Government has outlined its updated Our Rural Future policy for 2026 to 2031, committing €500 million in capital funding over the 2026–2028 period.
Speaking during Dáil statements on the national rural development policy, Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Dara Calleary stated that the new framework brings together cross-government measures to support rural enterprise, remote services, and community infrastructure.
Under the forthcoming rural development investment programme, the Department will issue calls for proposals across small, medium, and large-scale capital projects, delivering €500 million in funding between 2026 and 2028. Minister Calleary told TDs that administrative adjustments would also be introduced to make capital funding more accessible to local community groups.
Reviewing work under the previous policy launched in 2021, the Minister reported that more than €1 billion had been allocated to rural initiatives since 2020. This included over €560 million through the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) and Town and Village Renewal Scheme directed toward tackling vacancy, dereliction, and town centre revitalisation.
Additional allocations highlighted to the House included €150 million under the Local Improvement Scheme for more than 3,000 road projects, €112 million for over 1,600 community facility upgrades, and the establishment of a network of over 400 remote working hubs.