Latest news with #LEADER
RTÉ News
15-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
European Commission to propose merging CAP funding with other funds
The European Commission is set to propose merging Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funding with other funds, in a radical overhaul of how farmers receive financial supports from the European Union budget. Draft documents of the proposals, seen by RTÉ News, indicate that from the start of the next EU budgetary cycle in 2028, the commission plans to pool dedicated agricultural and rural financial supports into a single National and Regional Partnerships fund. The proposal would mean CAP would no longer be a stand-alone fund within the EU budget but would instead be merged with EU cohesion, migration, and infrastructure funding. This could result in certain funding for agriculture within the EU budget no longer being ringfenced and see financial supports funnelled away from farming and into other areas. In the draft, the commission argues the change would allow for "stronger synergies between policies", and create a more flexible, crisis-responsive budget that better reflects the EU's shared priorities. The commission will outline its proposals to MEPs later today for the next EU budget - known as the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) - which comes into effect in 2028. Irish farmers receive around €2 billion annually in CAP payments to help support the rural economy and food production. This funding is divided into two pillars - the first comprising direct payments to farmers, with the second focusing on rural development. However, the draft commission document proposes to guarantee "coherence by integrating the CAP interventions from the current two-funds structure under one single umbrella". The proposal suggests member states would have more power to reallocate funding "based on their specific needs rather than uniform allocations". Some Irish MEPs who have seen the leaked commission proposals say they risk CAP funding to farmers being considerably reduced, with some estimates suggesting they could see a drop of up to 30%. Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh, who is a member of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee, said they "highlight a real risk of the already insufficient CAP budget being further decreased. "While the relevance of some pillar-two tools - from farm advisory services to LEADER programmes - is maintained in the proposal, the funding is uncertain. "Without guaranteed investment, our rural communities and farmers will suffer. For example, the ringfenced funding for LEADER programmes has been abolished - I will be fighting within the Agriculture Committee to reverse this decision," she added. The commission's plans also recommend CAP funding "should be focused on active farmers", meaning supports would be "targeted towards farmers who exercise agriculture as a principal activity". In addition, the proposals would increase supports for younger farmers significantly, with funding for the costs of establishing a new farm potentially rising from €100,000 to €300,000. Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly said he is "alarmed and concerned" by the reported proposals "to scrap a fund with millions of euros of Pillar 2 rural development grants. "These grants provide a lifeline to many parts of the midlands, west, north west and north east," he said. He added that "the Commissioner is proceeding against the advice of all farmers and community groups with a single fund to be merged with cohesion funds paid to member states. "The scale of cuts in the budget being proposed are absolutely disastrous for Irish farmers." 'Big battle ahead' - IFA The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) has described the draft proposals as "very concerning". IFA President Francie Gorman said: "it is clear that the EU Commission is downgrading the importance of the CAP and food production to allow for greater spending elsewhere. "The CAP is being turned into an environmental and social policy. Support for farmers who are producing the most food is being consistently reduced. "At a time when Ireland is a net contributor to the overall EU budget, this level of investment in every parish takes on even more significance," he said. "CAP has been the cornerstone of the multi-billion export sector that underpins thousands of jobs in regions far from the urban centres. "There is a big battle ahead to retrieve a coherent policy from what the EU Commission is proposing," he added. 'Beginning of a protracted process' Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has said that the commission's budget proposals are "just the beginning of a protracted process". The minster said: "Member States will, through the Council of Ministers, begin the process of agreeing a general approach to the commission's proposals, before engaging in line-by-line negotiations with the EU Parliament and the EU Commission. "This will take some time, and I fully expect the progression of these proposals to be a significant feature of Ireland's Presidency of the EU Council in the second half of next year. "My priority throughout will be to ensure that the legislation finally agreed reflects Ireland's concerns, and provides certainty and stability for farmers," the minister added. Once the commission sets out its proposed EU budget, this will start a process of debate and negotiation that will ultimately lead to a final vote on the next budget for the bloc, that would begin in 2028. Ireland is expected to play an important role in this process, especially regarding CAP funding, given that we will hold the rolling six-month EU presidency for the second half of 2026.
Irish Independent
27-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
‘Rural champion' elected to lead Tipperary County Council for coming year
At the Annual General Meeting of Tipperary County Council, Fianna Fáil councillor John Carroll was elected Cathaoirleach of the county council for the coming year, taking over from Fine Gael councillor Declan Burgess. Proposed by councillor Michael Smith and seconded by councillor Sean Ryan, Mr Carroll was described as a champion of rural Ireland. In proposing Cllr Carroll, Michael Smith said that the incoming council chair has plenty of experience which will serve him well in leading the county for the next year. "He has proven to be a rural champion in relation to his involvement in the LCDC (Local Community Development Committee), in the North Tipperary LEADER programme, and while there was so many challenges throughout that time, he was there to the fore as chairperson and he led from the front,' Cllr Smith said. "I have no doubt that with those great leadership skills that he showed in that forum, that he would make an excellent chairperson,' Cllr Smith added. First elected in 1999, Cllr Carroll previously served as Cathaoirleach of North Tipperary County Council in 2006 before north and south Tipperary County Councils were amalgamated in 2014. Speaking to the Irish Independent after his election, Cllr Carroll said that his priorities for the year will be agribusiness, roads funding and the delivery of homes for young people across the county. "The content of council business and meetings has changed considerably [since 2006], there are key challenges today and there's a lot of benefits,' he said. "I was focusing in on the agricultural economy in terms of the climate, the Government can't say one thing and not fund it, we were talking about the ACRES scheme – that's the environmental scheme to improve biodiversity – and they're over a year behind in payments to farmers, that's not a way to win co-operation, and the farmers are really up for it,' Cllr Carroll said. Also among the incoming Cathaoirleach's priorities for the coming year is encouraging Uisce Éireann to develop more water infrastructure across the county to support home building. ADVERTISEMENT "Uisce Éireann providing waste water treatment plants for the towns and villages to sustain a young population that they have housing, so that they don't have to emigrate. We're a large county, when you have a good agricultural and vibrant economy that impacts positively and the same as sustainability of the towns and villages,' he added. Carrick-on-Suir councillor Mark Fitzgerald was elected as Leas-Cathaoirleach for the coming year, having been proposed by Fine Gael colleague Marie Murphy and seconded by outgoing Cathaoirleach Declan Burgess.
Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Ambitious vision of community led development of County Sligo up to 2030 revealed
Minister Dara Calleary officially launched the strategy, which outlines an ambitious vision for community-led local development in County Sligo from 2025–2030. Stakeholders, elected representatives, community members, board members, and staff gathered to mark the beginning of this new strategic phase which sets out clear priorities in areas such as rural development, social inclusion, climate action, and enterprise support. Cathaoirleach Councillor Declan Bree opened the event and spoke about how Sligo LEADER Partnership has benefited the community over the last thirty years. Minister Calleary described the strategy as 'a brilliant and ambitious document' and commended Sligo LEADER Partnership Company for its dedication to supporting and empowering communities across the county. Finbarr Filan, addressed attendees on behalf of the Sligo LEADER Partnership Board, highlighting the essential role of LEADER funding in driving sustainable community projects and economic development, and commented that this was an important day to showcase the collaboration between Sligo County Council, Kingsbridge Hospital and Sligo LEADER Partnership in securing the purchase of the St. Michael's building. The event also included remarks from John Feerick, CEO of Sligo LEADER Partnership Company, who asked Minister Calleary for support on the new LEADER programme, SICAP (Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme), to review the extension period for people on Tús and the implementation of the recommendations from the Rural Social Scheme review that was conducted last year. Following the formal proceedings, Minister Calleary visited two LEADER-supported initiatives: the community garden at Northside Community Partnership and The Doorly Park Gate Lodge, a community-run café. Both projects are examples of how LEADER funding contributes to social inclusion, social enterprise and local climate action. The event was attended by public representatives including members of the Oireachtas including Minister of State Marian Harkin, Deputy Eamon Scanlon, Deputy Frank Feighan, Senator Nessa Cosgrove and elected members of Sligo County Council and Chief Executive Martin Lydon. Also in attendance were Mark Regan and Ruth Scott of Kingsbridge Hospital, members of the Sligo LEADER Partnership staff and Board of Directors, who were warmly thanked for their ongoing guidance and support.
Irish Independent
13-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Council sets out the key role festivals and events will play in Sligo over the next five years
This follows a wide stakeholder engagement process and is the culmination of a review that examined the broad spectrum of festivals and events taking place in the county all year round and best practice elsewhere. It acknowledges the key role that festivals and events play in the tourism offering in county Sligo and facilitates the delivery of a planned and coordinated approach to supporting festivals and events. Cllr Declan Bree, Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, welcomed the strategy saying: 'This strategy values the huge commitment from the community as well as the business and creative sectors and I want to extend appreciation to all the festivals and event organisers, and organisations with a role in festival delivery, who have contributed to the development of the strategy and the stakeholder engagement process. 'You have helped shape this document by your insights and experiences from a practical and lived perspective.' The strategy, in setting out an implementation plan for the next five years, looks at a range of important issues in addition to funding such as marketing, capacity building and training, programme development as well as governance. The Chair of the Sligo Local Community Development Committee, Cllr Donal Gilroy, said:'It is significant that the LCDC could approve LEADER funding to help fund the development of the strategy and the success of the strategy will be enhanced by inter–agency and cross community collaboration.' This strategy, setting out a hierarchy of festivals, sits within the transformative Fáilte Ireland WAW marketing campaign and the County Sligo Destination and Experience Development Plan, as well as the Sligo 2030 vision. Chief Executive of Sligo County Council, Martin Lydon commented that 'Festivals and Events are a huge driver for the economic, community and social fabric of our society. 'We are fortunate in Sligo to have an outstanding array of festival and events which complement and animate new public realm and tourism infrastructural projects delivered by the Council'.
Irish Independent
05-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
A Sligo community's innovative approach to health and well-being is praised
It is Ireland's first community-inspired and community-run hub based on the Hello GoodLife model. Building on the success of the commercially-run and well-established Hello GoodLife hubs in Castlebar and Roscommon, the Bunninadden hub is the first to be entirely operated by a local community group, now running the facility as a social enterprise in service of public health and wellbeing. Funded through the LEADER rural development programme, the initiative represents a new direction in preventative, place-based healthcare. Designed by Martina Calvey, CEO and founder of Hello GoodLife Health & Wellbeing Ireland alongside her partner Seamus Davitt, the hub offers a dedicated, inclusive space for holistic health featuring 14 power-assisted exercise machines — including two specially designed for wheelchair users. It provides an accessible and safe environment for people of all ages and abilities to stay active, maintain independence and foster meaningful social connections. Minister Carroll MacNeill hailed the project as a shining example of community-driven innovation. 'What we see today in Bunninadden is a shining example of what can be achieved when community spirit meets collaboration and innovation. 'The Hello GoodLife Hub is not only helping people live longer, healthier lives, it's giving them the ability to thrive. This model is a blueprint for communities across the country.' The Hello GoodLife concept is rooted in accessibility, inclusion and community engagement. The Bunninadden hub, in particular, showcases what's possible when local people unite to support each other's wellbeing — with mature and older adults, those living with chronic conditions and people of all ages simply seeking to stay active all benefiting from its presence. Hello GoodLife CEO, Martina Calvey, said: 'We created Hello GoodLife with people's physical, social and mental health in mind following my own personal journey through illness and having used Innerva's power-assisted circuit. ADVERTISEMENT 'What the Bunninadden community have achieved here is extraordinary — they took this idea and brought it to life for their people and their place. 'Seeing the smiles, the energy and the friendships being formed here every day — this is what it's all about. It's a movement for healthier, happier lives.' Already hailed as a national exemplar of best practice in community-led preventative healthcare, the Hello GoodLife Health & Wellbeing Hub in Bunninadden marks the next exciting step in a growing movement across Ireland — driven by local passion, powered by partnership and built for the health and wellbeing of all.
