Talamh Beo believes Ireland’s rural future must be grounded in land, livelihood, community, democracy, and ecological renewal. The foundation of a thriving rural Ireland is in diverse ecological food and land use systems, supported by comprehensive social and community infrastructure.
To achieve this, Ireland needs an ambitious strategy that secures land access for new entrants, supports local food systems, strengthens rural services, and restores ecological health. This includes economic support for local food producers, enabling low-impact housing for landworkers, and investing in the infrastructure required for short supply chains—covered markets, food hubs, community processing, small abattoirs and distribution networks. Thriving rural communities also depend on reliable public services, childcare, mobility options, and community-led renewable energy.
Underlying all of this is a commitment to Food Sovereignty: the right of people and communities to shape their own food and land systems. This means placing local growers and small farms at the heart of rural development and resisting land speculation and extractive land-use models.
Rural Ireland faces an interconnected set of challenges: a lack of affordable land for new entrants, an ageing farming population, weakened public services, unfair market structures, inadequate rural housing, and the growing pressure of industrial-scale land uses. These pressures make it difficult for farmers, growers and rural workers to sustain their livelihoods or enter farming in the first place.
At the same time, there are enormous opportunities. Across Ireland, growers and small farmers are pioneering agroecological production, community food initiatives, cooperative hubs and local markets. These short food supply chains support rural jobs, diversify the economy, strengthen food security, and reconnect communities with healthy, local food. Investing in these systems would multiply economic, social and environmental benefits while making rural communities more resilient in the face of climate and biodiversity challenges.
We support a vision that places land, food and community at its centre. Talamh Beo proposes the following strengthened wording:
“A thriving, interconnected and equitable rural Ireland where people, land and communities flourish together; where food and land systems support fair livelihoods, ecological health and democratic participation; and where land and ecosystems are nurtured and grown for future generations.”
This vision reflects the realities and aspirations of people living and working in rural Ireland today.
The four pillars offer a strong foundation but need clearer integration of food systems, land access and community wellbeing.
A cross-cutting pillar on Land and Food Sovereignty would improve policy coherence across these areas.
Rural places should be where people can live close to the land, raise families, build livelihoods, and participate fully in community life. This requires a coherent approach to housing, land use and rural services.
Housing for landworkers and rural workers must become easier to secure. Planning policy should allow low-impact dwellings—such as cabins, tiny homes and eco-huts—for people engaged in land-based livelihoods, and should support the restoration of derelict buildings for grower accommodation, markets, seed storage and community food spaces. A dedicated Rural Worker Housing Pathway would allow communities and councils to design local, affordable solutions.
Land access requires a national strategy. This should include a Land Observatory to monitor concentration and speculation; community rights of first refusal; and clear regulation to prevent speculation and vulture fund ownership of lands as a speculative asset. Public land should be prioritised for agroecological food production and rural community use.
Thriving rural places also depend on strong public services: accessible GP and mental health care, rural childcare and education, small schools, adult learning centres, and community facilities. Transport infrastructure must improve through expanded LocalLink services, integrated ticketing, demand-responsive transport and the development of safe cycling routes along road verges and hard shoulders.
A resilient rural economy depends on locally rooted, ecological and diversified food production. Local growers must be enabled to make a viable living. This includes the need to introduce specific income support for Local Food Producers, access to affordable finance, and recognition of local growers within agricultural policy. Talamh Beo have outlined these needs and others comprehensively in our Local Food Policy Framework. (https://talamhbeo.ie/projects/local-food-policy/)
Short supply chains need practical infrastructure: covered markets for year-round trading; rural food hubs for aggregation, storage and distribution; and community-owned micro-processing facilities such as small dairies, mills, bakeries and abattoirs. These facilities reduce dependency on distant processing plants and stimulate local employment.
Training and labour pathways should be redeveloped to support agroecology apprenticeships, mentorship networks, local skills development and seasonal labour schemes that are fair and accessible. Such support would help both new entrants and existing farmers diversify and strengthen their livelihoods.
Resilient rural communities are those where people have a meaningful say in shaping their futures. Local governance must be strengthened through Food Councils, participatory budgeting and community ownership models for land, energy and buildings.
Inclusion and wellbeing must be central. Women farmers, migrant and newcomer farmers, rural youth and older people all face distinct barriers and must be supported through tailored initiatives. Rural arts, recreation, community kitchens, tool libraries and cultural projects help build strong community bonds. Food education—including school gardens, cooking skills, nutrition literacy and seed-saving—should be embedded into education and community life. The schools meals program offers an obvious pathway to interlinking these strands.
A greener rural future requires a shift towards agroecology, biodiversity restoration and community-led climate action. A National Agroecology Programme would support mixed farming, agroforestry, regenerative practices and transitions away from high-input, debt-heavy models. Payments should reflect soil health, biodiversity and ecosystem restoration.
Community-owned renewable energy must be prioritised over speculative industrial-scale projects, ensuring benefits remain local and that developments respect biodiversity and landscape character. Restoration of wetlands, woodlands and hedgerows, along with community stewardship agreements, can help rebuild ecological health while supporting local livelihoods.
Talamh Beo envisions a rural Ireland where people can access land, earn fair livelihoods, care for ecosystems, and build strong, resilient communities. The proposals in this submission offer a practical, grounded and hopeful pathway toward that future. Our Rural Future 2026–2031 is an opportunity to align national policy with community needs and ecological realities, ensuring a vibrant and sustainable rural Ireland for generations to come.
