A Living Countryside?: The Politics of Sustainable Development in Rural Ireland (Perspectives on Rural Policy and Planning)

In recent years the ideal of achieving sustainable rural development has become a key dimension of EU, national, regional and local policy. Whether this ideal is achievable in the near future to any substantial degree is by no means certain. By examining a range of experiences from both the north and south of Ireland, this book asks what the ideal of sustainable development might mean to specific rural groups and how sustainable development goals have been pursued across the policy spectrum. It assesses the extent of commitment to a living countryside in Ireland and compares various opportunities and obstacles to the actual achievement of sustainable rural development. Much of the discussion is devoted to determining the degree of policy convergence between north and south, interrogating the extent of harmonization and integration of policies within the overall economic framework and evaluating the role of policy in molding sustainable development strategies. How different sectors of rural society will be challenged in terms of future survival, a key question in the present juncture, provides an overarching theme throughout. 1. The Politics Of Rural Sustainability / Tony Varley, John Mcdonagh And Sally Shortall -- Part I. Policy And Planning For Sustainability: -- 2. A Legal Framework For Sustainable Development In Rural Areas Of The Republic Of Ireland And Northern Ireland / Yvonne Scannell And Sharon Turner -- 3. Environmental Lessons For Rural Ireland From The European Union: How Great Expectations In Brussels Get Dashed In Bangor And Belmullet / Brendan Flynn -- 4. Governance For Regional Sustainable Development: Building Institutional Capacity In The Republic Of Ireland And Northern Ireland / Gerard Mullally And Brian Motherway -- 5. Regional Planning And Sustainability / Mark Scott -- 6. Managing Rural Nature: Regulation, Translations And Governance In The Republic Of Ireland And Northern Ireland / Hilary Tovey -- Part Ii. Primary Production And Sustainability: -- 7. Agriculture And Multifunctionality In Ireland / John Feehan And Deirdre O'connor -- 8. Sustainable Forestry In Northern Ireland And The Republic Of Ireland / Roy W. Tomlinson And John Fennessy -- 9. Governance And Sustainability: Impacts Of The Common Fisheries Policy In Northern Ireland And The Republic Of Ireland / David Meredith And Joan Mcginley -- 10. Production, Markets And The Coastal Environment: Exploring The Social Sustainability Of Irish Aquaculture / John Phyne -- Part Iii. Information Technology, Tourism And Sustainability: -- 11. Knowledge-based Competition: Implications For Sustainable Development In Rural Northern Ireland And The Republic Of Ireland / Seamus Grimes And Stephen Roper -- 12. Conflict To Consensus: Contested Notions Of Sustainable Rural Tourism On The Island Of Ireland / Ruth Mcareavey, John Mcdonagh And Maria Heneghan -- Part Iv. Social Differentiation And Sustainability: -- 13. Demography Of Rural Decline And Expansion / Trutz Haase -- 14. 'a Growing Concern': Youth, Sustainable Lifestyle And Livelihood In Rural Ireland / Brian Mcgrath -- 15. Rural Ageing And Public Policy In Ireland / Eamon O'shea -- 16. Gender And Sustainability In Rural Ireland / Sally Shortall And Anne Byrne -- 17. The Irish Language And The Future Of The Gaeltacht Regions Of Ireland / Seosamh Mac Donnacha And Conchur O Giollagain -- Part V. Sustainability And Civil Society: -- 18. Environmental Movements In Ireland: North And South / John Barry And Peter Doran -- 19. Populism And The Politics Of Community Survival In Rural Ireland / Tony Varley -- 20. The Road To Sustainable Transport: Community Groups, Rural Transport Programmes And Policies In Ireland / Henrike Rau And Colleen Hennessy -- 21. Conclusion: Sustainability And Getting The Balance Right In Rural Ireland / John Mcdonagh, Tony Varley And Sally Shortall. Edited By John Mcdonagh, Tony Varley And Sally Shortall. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 List of Figures......Page 10 List of Tables......Page 11 Notes on Contributors......Page 12 List of Abbreviations......Page 18 1 The Politics of Rural Sustainability......Page 22 Part I Policy and Planning for Sustainability......Page 44 2 A Legal Framework for Sustainable Development in Rural Areas of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland......Page 46 3 Environmental Lessons for Rural Ireland from the European Union: How Great Expectations in Brussels get Dashed in Bangor and Belmullet......Page 74 4 Governance for Regional Sustainable Development: Building Institutional Capacity in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland......Page 90 5 Regional Planning and Sustainability......Page 106 6 Managing Rural Nature: Regulation, Translations and Governance in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland......Page 128 Part II Primary Production and Sustainability......Page 142 7 Agriculture and Multifunctionality in Ireland......Page 144 8 Sustainable Forestry in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland......Page 160 9 Governance and Sustainability: Impacts of the Common Fisheries Policy in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland......Page 178 10 Production, Markets and the Coastal Environment: Exploring the Social Sustainability of Irish Aquaculture......Page 200 Part II Information Technology, Tourism and Sustainability......Page 226 11 Knowledge-based Competition: Implications for Sustainable Development in Rural Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland......Page 228 12 Conflict to Consensus: Contested Notions of Sustainable Rural Tourism on the Island of Ireland......Page 240 Part IV Social Differentiation and Sustainability......Page 256 13 Demography of Rural Decline and Expansion......Page 258 14 ‘A Growing Concern’: Youth, Sustainable Lifestyle and Livelihood in Rural Ireland......Page 276 15 Rural Ageing and Public Policy in Ireland......Page 290 16 Gender and Sustainability in Rural Ireland......Page 308 17 The Irish Language and the Future of the Gaeltacht Regions of Ireland......Page 324 Part V Sustainability and Civil Society......Page 340 18 Environmental Movements in Ireland: North and South......Page 342 19 Populism and the Politics of Community Survival in Rural Ireland......Page 362 20 The Road to Sustainable Transport: Community Groups, Rural Transport Programmes and Policies in Ireland......Page 382 Conclusion......Page 400 21 Sustainability and Getting the Balance Right in Rural Ireland......Page 402 Index......Page 406