Ulster Unionist representative Jo-Anne Dobson has welcomed a DARD U-turn on the removal of funding for groups that specialise in addressing the disparity of Protestant and Unionist communities accessing support from within the Rural Development Programme.
Jo-Anne Dobson, the Ulster Unionist rural affairs spokesperson, said;
“There is strong evidence to suggest that applicants from a unionist background require additional support in drawing down funding from the RDP. The overall ratio of Protestant beneficiaries to Catholic beneficiaries in the previous Rural Development Programme was considered low in comparison with the Farmers and Farm Families Survey.
“The RDP aims to protect and enhance the rural environment, rural businesses and support a thriving rural community. It is therefore essential that the Programme’s new budget of £623m for 2014-2020 is spent fairly and equitably across all communities.
“I was deeply concerned that previous specific support for Protestant and Unionist applicants was not included in the successor to DARD’s 2011-2015 Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation Framework. Over recent months I repeatedly challenged Michelle O’Neill to intervene and reinstate this support.
“The overall cost was negligible and in reality equated to only a small number of employees across Northern Ireland who specialised in engaging and supporting PUL applicants. Had the funding been withdrawn the offices would have had no choice but to close and their staff unfortunately let go.
“It is disappointing that it took a public backlash for DARD to make a U-turn and announce funding for at least a further year. Whoever the next Minister is after the election I will be calling on them to permanently reinstate this small, yet very significant, support.”