The recent Government White Paper on Rural Development has been criticised as "largely aspirational" and "desperately short of action" by the Independent MEP for Connacht-Ulster, Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon.
Ms Scallon called for what she termed a "partnership of rural participation" to formulate concrete proposals from community groups and other organisations.
She said many who had been involved in compiling reports on rural development had seen their work gather dust on Department shelves. "I am telling the Government to get the balance in decision-making right in the structures for rural development. The decisions on what projects are to be funded must come from the bottom up".
Ms Scallon also criticised the main political parties which "continued to sell our independent voice to the Euro-bureaucracy".