UPDATED: Projects valued at €11.2 Million approved for LEADER funding

14 May 2019 Over three hundred projects, valued at €11.2 million have been approved for funding so far this year under the LEADER Programme 2014 to 2020, according to an analysis by the National Rural Network (NRN).

Since its inception in 1991, LEADER has provided grants to rural Ireland to direct economic and social development through community-led local development. Funded through Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, in total under the current LEADER Programme over 1,900 projects have been approved with a value of €66.4 million.

Of the 327 projects approved so far in 2019, the value of the average LEADER grant approved is approximately €34,000. Funding approved in 2019 has been awarded to both large-and small-scale projects. A total of 31 grants of over €100,000 have been approved in 2019 alongside 132 grants of less than €10,000.

LEADER funding is targeted at priority areas identified in Local Development Strategies. Under the ‘Economic Development, Enterprise Development and Job Creation’ theme a total of 212 projects, valued at €6.4 million, so far in 2019. Rural tourism projects make up the majority of this with over 104 projects valued at €2.1 million.

Another priority area is ‘Social Inclusion’ and 96 projects, valued at €4.4 million, have been approved under this theme so far in 2019. The final core priority area is ‘Rural Environment’ which sees 19 projects approved so far in 2019 valued of over €360,000.

Dr Maura Farrell, Lead Researcher with the National Rural Network at NUI Galway said, “Each and every LEADER project funded is a credit to the community group involved; the entrepreneurial individual or the All projects represent community engagement and innovation at its very best and play a key role in developing and sustaining Rural Ireland”.

Looking at the 29 Local Development Strategy areas, the number of approved projects varies. The average by area in 2019 so far is 11 projects valued at almost €385,000.

In specific areas, for has 42 projects approved to a value close to €1 million. This includes funding of €16,536.20 for Irin Tech Ltd for marketing of its smart solution technologies and €17,819.10 for the Valentia Trans-Atlantic Cable Foundation for a Valentia Trans-Atlantic Cable UNESCO World Heritage Study.

Funding of more than €1 million has been approved this year for 10 projects in Limerick. This includes a grant of €82,942.50 for EASE to develop the Ballyhoura Development Area Access to Music Initiative.

Funding is still available under the LEADER Programme 2014-2020. Those interested in applying can contact the Local Action Group in their local area. Contact details are available from the NRN’s database, which is available at www.nationalruralnetwork.ie/leader/

For more information or to arrange an interview, contact James Caffey at the National Rural Network on 087 281 9741 or email media@nationalruralnetwork.ie.

The 2019 figures represent projects approved in the period from January 1, 2019 to April 24, 2019 based on Department of Rural and Community Development databases.

The approval figures refer to funding awarded to LEADER projects. Funding is drawn down as projects are implemented.

Funded through Ireland’s Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020, LEADER Programme funding is targeted at priority areas identified in Local Development Strategies developed by Local Action Groups. These priorities come under the following themes:

The NRN is a membership network for anyone interested in rural development. It provides up-to-date information, case studies, seminars and conferences to maximise the beneficial outcomes of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 for rural stakeholders. The NRN is managed by a consortium led by Irish Rural Link in partnership with The Wheel, NUI Galway and Philip Farrelly & Co.

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the entrepreneurial individual or the environment.