To ask the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development for her Department's definition of a rural village, including the maximum population size and proximity to an urban centre.

For the purposes of the NIRDP, rural areas are defined as all those areas identified outside the statutory development limits of those towns and settlements with a population in excess of 5,000 inhabitants. To allow for a more flexible approach my Department does not apply any further definitions below 5,000. This can be further defined by Local Action Groups if they wish, however they must provide a rationale within their Local Rural Development Strategy to support this. Where the thirty miles per speed limit starts is used to define where the boundary of any settlement starts.