Fears about the future of rural communities in Omagh council area

A LOCAL councillor has warned that rural communities are under threat due to the continued loss of essential services.

Speaking at a recent meeting of the rural affairs sub-committee of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Independent councillor Dr Josephine Deehan highlighted the decline of post offices, banking services, and rural schools in villages and hamlets across the council district.

“If you look at our district, aside from the two county towns and larger villages, we are primarily a rural community with a dispersed population,” she said.

“Every time I come to council, I see our rural way of life being eroded. We have virtually lost all our rural post offices, banking services are disappearing – even in major towns – and there has been an ongoing onslaught on our rural schools.

“Planning legislation is also making it increasingly difficult for people to build in rural areas, which is not how we have historically lived. If you drive through the countryside, you see abandoned small holdings and tumbled-down cottages – evidence of a way of life that is fading.”

Cllr Deehan expressed concern that if services continue to decline, the district will face ‘regrettable’ losses.

“One of the biggest challenges we face as a council is ensuring rural vibrancy. What will replace the Rural Development Fund? What will happen to agricultural subsidies, particularly in less-favoured areas?

“How do we support our rural communities in the future?”

She added, “My fear would be that the way in which we live as a rural community is going to be fundamentally changed, and and I think that that would be very regrettable and a great loss.”

Alan Mitchell, the council’s data science and intelligence officer, acknowledged that the ‘situation has worsened’ regarding services in rural communities.

“When the Rural Affairs Sub-Committee was first established, we mapped access to cash as a vague proxy banking and post office availability. I have no doubt that the situation has changed and probably worsened since then.”

Mr Mitchell said that discussions are ongoing with DAERA about rural development funding and that agricultural subsidies are being examined by the council’s agricultural liaison group.