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Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys has today announced the approval of the first two local development strategies (LDS) to deliver the 2023-2027 LEADER programme.
The Local Action Groups (LAGs) that will deliver these strategies are in the Carlow and Tipperary sub-regional areas.
The announcement today, which sees the commencement of the 2023-2027 LEADER programme in these sub-regional areas, is the culmination of many months’ work by the successful groups in consultation with the rural communities and businesses in their areas.
Commenting on the approval of the first LAGs to deliver the 2023-2027 LEADER Programme, Minister Humphreys said:
“I am delighted to be announcing the selection of the first two LAGs to deliver the new LEADER programme. The LEADER Programme is based on a community-led, bottom-up approach to rural development right across the country.
“It plays an important role in supporting communities and enterprises in progressing job creation, social inclusion and environmental projects at local level.
“I look forward to seeing the impact of the implementation of the 2023-2027 programme and to ensuring that LEADER continues to play a central role in supporting rural communities into the future.”
Carlow and Tipperary LAGs are the first two approved from an ongoing process to select the LAGs that will deliver LEADER funding throughout rural Ireland.
The LAG in Carlow is led by the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) in partnership with County Carlow Development Partnership and Carlow County Council and will receive €4.9 million in funding to support a range of activities in county.
The LAG in Tipperary is led by the Tipperary LCDC in partnership with North Tipperary Development Company, South Tipperary Development Company and Tipperary County Council and will receive €7.8 million in funding to deliver its strategy.
Announcing the details of the LAGs, Minister Humphreys said:
“As Local Development Strategies are approved across individual LEADER sub-regional areas, the LAGs can commence the process of seeking and approving applications for funding from communities.
“I look forward to seeing further strategies being approved and LAGs being appointed to deliver LEADER over the coming months, which will bring significant funding into our rural communities over the lifetime of this programme.”
Further details of the appointment LAGs for the remaining sub-regional areas will be announced over the coming months as their local development strategies are approved.
The LEADER programme is co-funded by the EU under Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy.
Our Rural Future is the whole-of-government policy for rural Ireland for the period 2021-2025. It represents a milestone in the approach to rural development policy for Ireland and adopts a more strategic, ambitious and holistic approach to investing in and maximising opportunities for rural areas.
LEADER, a key intervention of Our Rural Future, is a rural development programme co-funded by the EU. It operates a locally-led, bottom-up, approach to meeting the needs of rural communities and businesses in rural areas outside of the city boundaries of Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.
The programme is based on a community-led approach to rural development and plays an important role in supporting communities and enterprises in progressing job creation, social inclusion and environmental projects at local level.
Funding is currently delivered by Local Action Groups (LAGs) in 28 sub-regional areas. These groups are partnerships of public and private entities from a defined geographical area. LAGs are responsible for local projects in accordance with the Local Development Strategies they develop themselves.
€250 million has been made available for LEADER for the period 2021 to 2027. This is comprised of €70 million for the transitional period, 2021 to 2022, and €180 million for the period 2023 to 2027. This level of funding is the same as was provided for the previous programming period 2014-2020.