Have your say on the next LEADER Programme – People of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life with an interest in community and / or business development in County Wexford are being called upon to share their views at public meetings taking place in Wexford, Enniscorthy, Gorey, New Ross and Rosslare during the next two weeks.
WLD is undertaking a wide-ranging consultation process to ensure that the delivery of €7.3 million allocated to County Wexford in the next EU LEADER funding programme reflects the county’s current and anticipated developmental needs.
The new LEADER Programme, co-funded by the EU and the Irish exchequer, is set to commence in late 2023 and run to 2027. In order to secure the funding allocated for County Wexford, Wexford Local Development (WLD) – with the co-operation of Wexford County Council (WCC) and Wexford Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) – must now prepare a robust, high quality and representative strategic plan outlining how the funding can best be used for sustainable development in the county.
All are invited to attend the planned series of public meetings and to contribute their views and ideas on how they feel the funding might best be allocated. In addition, WLD are asking people to complete business and / or community group surveys.
Operating in Wexford and throughout Ireland and Europe since 1991, LEADER follows a community-led local development approach that involves the participation of local people in developing responses to key economic, environmental and social challenges which exist in their areas. The programme’s approach is based on the belief that people who live and work in rural communities are best placed to decide what funding is required to best support and develop their own areas.
Wexford Local Development (WLD) has been involved in the delivery of the LEADER programme in County Wexford for the past 32 years. Over the lifetime of the recently concluded LEADER Programme (2016-2022), WLD, in partnership with Wexford Local Community Development Committee (LCDC), strategically invested almost €10 million of LEADER funding across the county to grant recipients including 164 community group projects and 116 niche enterprises. This led to substantial job creation and a significant improvement in community facilities throughout the county.
Full details of the consultation process and surveys are available on WLD’s website at www.wld.ie/leader.
Written submissions are also welcome and should be sent by post to: Tom Bermingham, LEADER Coordinator, WLD, Spawell Road, Wexford, Y35 E2FK, or by email to tbermingham@wld.ie on or before Friday 12th May 2023.
The schedule of planned public consultation meetings is as follows. All meetings start at 7pm sharp, with light refreshments served from 6.30pm.
| New Ross District | Wednesday 19th April | Brandon House Hotel, New Ross |
| Rosslare District | Thursday 20th April | Coast Hotel, Rosslare Strand |
| Wexford District | Monday 24th April | Ferrycarrig Hotel, Wexford |
| Gorey & Kilmuckridge District | Wednesday 26th April | Ashdown Park Hotel, Gorey |
| Enniscorthy District | Thursday 27th April | Riverside Park Hotel, Enniscorthy |