A Longford Councillor is calling for more supports and incentives for local shops.
The issue was brought before this week's meeting of Longford County Council.
Councillor Garry Murtagh brought forward a motion to write to relevant Ministers to call on them to promote a pilot "shop local" scheme for rural Ireland.
He says that there are little to no incentives for rural shops despite them providing a vital service to communities
'We are promoting that people should move and relocate and build houses in small villages and in around small towns but the infrastructure is gone.
It is very hard to see how they are going to bring it back.
I think really now is the time for the Minister to step up and come up with something like a private scheme or some sort of incentive to encourage these people to keep going in providing this vital service.'
