Rural Needs Act (Northern Ireland) 2016
| Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to impose a duty on public authorities to have due regard to rural needs; and for connected purposes. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 2016 c. 19 (N.I.) |
| Introduced by | Michelle O'Neill, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 9 May 2016 |
Status: Current legislation | |
The Rural Needs Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (c.19 (N.I.)) is an act of the Northern Ireland Assembly relating to "rural-proofing", where the needs of rural aras must be specifically considered in developing policy.[1]
Provisions
The act requires departments, local authorities and other public bodies to consider rural needs in plans, strategies and policies in the design and delivery of public services.[2][3]
The act establishes a framework to measure the impact of policy on rural areas known as the "Rural Needs Impact Assessment".[4]
Reception
Dr Jane Atterton, of Scotland's Rural College has suggested that Scotland should adopt a similar rural-proofing policy.[5]
References
- ^ McAreavey, Ruth (2022). "Looking back to go forward. A review of Rural Development Funding Processes and Delivery". Rural Community Network.
- ^ Halseth, Greg; Ryser, Laura; Markey, Sean, eds. (2019). Service provision and rural sustainability: infrastructure and innovation. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-48373-6.
- ^ Meredith, Robbie (18 January 2022). "Schools: Northern Ireland has 'too many small and unsustainable' schools". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
- ^ Hall, Heather (2020). "Does Ontario need a Northern Lens?" (PDF). Northern Policy |nstitute. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 July 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
- ^ Paterson, Kirsteen (4 June 2024). "Will John Swinney's new-look Scottish Government give rural Scotland its place?". Holyrood Magazine. Archived from the original on 4 June 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2025.