RTE's George Hamilton to MC special LEADER event in Kilkenny
RTÉ's George Hamilton will act as master of ceremonies for the event, which is planned for Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre, as Kilkenny LEADER Partnership reflects on the success of the EU LEADER fund and its uncertain future.
As the EU LEADER fund marks 35 years of supporting rural development, Kilkenny LEADER Partnership is hosting a gathering later this month to reflect on the success of the fund and the uncertainty of its future.
RTE's George Hamilton will act as master of ceremonies for the event, which is planned for Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre. The LEADER fund was introduced in 1991 as Liaison Entre Actions de Développement de l'Économie Rurale (LEADER). Over that time, hundreds of small enterprises, individuals and organisations in Kilkenny have benefitted from grants under the scheme.
“LEADER funding is generally allocated as a lump sum to a Local Action Group for a period of five years,” explains Declan Rice, CEO of Kilkenny LEADER Partnership. “Decisions on how it will be divided are made locally. That’s the great advantage of it. Applications are encouraged, evaluated and approved locally by people who know what is best for their area.”
The first Local Action Group for the region was Barrow-Nore-Suir Rural Development, which was merged into Kilkenny LEADER Partnership along with its fellow social inclusion organisations, Kilkenny Community Action Network (KCAN) and Castlecomer District Community Development (CDCD) in 2008. Over time the focus in spending has shifted from training and tourism development to community centres and climate action, depending on both EU direction and the changing needs of an area.
Kilkenny LEADER Partnership is one of 45 integrated Local Development Companies nationwide and it has grown to administer other programmes such as the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), the Local Area Employment Scheme (LAES), the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) and the TÚS scheme for long-term unemployed people.
It has also played a role in assisting with the integration of asylum seekers and refugees.
“Local Development Week is coming up from 28 September to 2 October to celebrate the breadth of work of organisations like ours,” says Declan Rice. “Tremendous work goes on quietly behind the scenes, but it is also important to let the general public know about the good done by Local Development Companies.”