David Meredith is a rural and economic geographer at the Spatial Analysis Unit in Teagasc's Rural Economy Development Programme. Reflecting the complex nature of contemporary rural development, his research focuses on rural restructuring with a particular emphasis on the evolution of the economy and the implications of changing settlement patterns for rural areas. He has published on the spatial impacts of EU and national regulatory systems on rural industries (with McGinley, 2008; with Crowley and Walsh, 2009), the implications of economic change for rural communities, and strategic spatial planning in Ireland. He is currently Head of Research for the Commission for Economic Development of Rural Areas.