merrion street

Today, 23^rd March 2015, Mr. Alan Kelly T.D., Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, and Ms. Ann Phelan, TD Minister of State for Rural Affairs launched the €250 million Rural Development Programme.

The funding, which will support the delivery of the LEADER programme to rural areas out to 2020 will focus on tackling rural isolation, generating employment and stimulating village renewal. Each local area will have to develop a strategy on how best to apply this funding for rural areas and expressions of interest in how to spend the funding are being sought from local LEADER companies and others from today.

Ireland will conduct a two stage selection process that will seek to secure high quality Local Development Strategies that will complement the economic development work being carried out by local authorities.

The first stage which is being launched today is an open call for expressions of interest from any group that can show broad local and community participation and wishes to be considered as a Local Action Group for the purposes of the delivery of LEADER interventions in their respective areas.

Minister Kelly said that “This funding is about community participation, boosting employment and tackling rural isolation. That is why I am delighted to launch this programme in the Cottage in Loughmore, Co.Tipperary – a place where the community worked to reinvigorate the village by thinking outside the box and establishing a local co-operative tea-shop that is now thriving through voluntary effort. I want to see this replicated in more places throughout the country.

“LEADER has supported so many successful businesses that are at the forefront of rural innovation. However in the past, too much of this funding was used for local historical books or to develop rural tourism brochures. This time it has to be spent on projects that will sustain employment in a community.”

Minister Phelan added “I am delighted to be launching the LEADER strategy selection process that will allow Local Action Groups all over the country to express an interest in supporting the delivery of LEADER funding over the next 5-6 years. I too am confident that these resources will support the sustainable development of rural communities the length and breadth of this country” I look forward to seeing and hearing about the projects that will be funded in rural areas as a result of this funding which will, I have no doubt, make a real difference in the lives of many rural communities”.

 Note for Editors:

Ireland will conduct a two stage selection process that will seek to secure high quality Local Development Strategies and support the development of more integrated and effective which combines with work undertaken by the local authorities. .

The first stage which is being launched here today is an open call for expressions of interest from any group that can show broad local and community participation and wishes to be considered as a Local Action Group for the purposes of the delivery of LEADER interventions in their respective areas.

The criteria to be addressed in the EOI phase of the selection process are outlined in the documentation and can also be found on DELCG website.

Applicants qualifying at this stage will be invited to submit an LDS for the area outlined in their EOI. Applications will be assessed at both stages by a Selection Committee established under Art 33(3) of the CPR specifically for that purpose.

Where more than one EOI emerges in a sub-regional area, the applicants will be encouraged and supported to work together to prepare one LDS for the area in the interest of ensuring a more coordinated approach to rural development and maximising the impact of the available funding.

Interested parties will have 8 weeks to prepare and submit their EOIs and the closing date for receipt of EOI is 15^th May 2015. During this period, DECLG will deliver a series of regional LAG formation seminars as detailed in the table below.

All Local Action Groups invited to prepare an Local Development Strategy in stage 2 of the selection process will be given a minimum period of 6 months for the development of their LDSs.