Measures to halt the depopulation of large areas of Clare are among the main features of a new economic strategy for the county. Dwindling services in many towns and villages are also mentioned in Clare County Council's draft county development plan 1999-2004. In the plan, the first in 11 years, the council states that to preserve the quality and economic value of the rural environment, it will seek to maintain the indigenous population.
The council defines an indigenous person as "any person born in the area and with immediate relatives still resident there, or any person who has resided in the area and whose parents have been resident there for a minimum of 15 years".
The plan will strengthen the case for those seeking planning permission in rural areas, stating that "every person will have an opportunity to reside within the area in which they have been born or raised."
One of the primary aims of the plan is "to encourage development in existing settlements in rural areas to ensure their sustainability and economic viability".
Public submissions will be invited following the plan's formal publication after the council's April or May meeting.
Father Harry Bohan of Rural Resource Development, who has written extensively on rural decline, welcomed the council's initiative.
