Networks

Irish Rural Link encourages its various members to form single issue networks within the umbrella of the organisation. This allows each group to focus on the issues close to their everyday experience, without the overall worry of maintaining a National Network.  New legislation has made it more difficult and costly for groups to set up as networks so by forming a network under the umbrella of IRL, it eliminates these difficulties.
It also allows rural communities to work as a united front when required and strengthens the representational power because of the larger membership

The Additional benefits to networks include

1. That we will support experts, who are knowledgeable about their area of interest.
2. It allows the interest groups to participate at the heart of policy making and in that context bring greater integrity to the problems and opportunities that may materialise.
3. The wider membership of IRL is also better informed and because of that is more likely to take into account the issues that affect rural communities.
4. The agreed policy, because it is accepted by the wider rural family is more likely to be successful in terms of its influence.