This programme is closed.
Waterford LEADER Partnership Clg welcomes LEADER allocation of €1,666,983 for Rural Waterford.
The Transitional LEADER Programme is a two year programme which will bridge the gap between the LEADER 2014-2020 Programme and the new LEADER Programme. The aim of the Transitional LEADER Programme is to allow locally-led rural development projects to continue to be delivered using the current LEADER model until the new EU programme commences in 2023.
The Transitional Programme provides a particular opportunity for LAGs and Implementing
Partners to:
a) Work closely with communities, and particularly those who have not previously benefited
from LEADER funding, to build their capacity in preparation for the next programming
period and ensure that weaker communities are not left behind.
b) Promote projects which support communities in a post-COVID-19 environment.
c) Support job creation, entrepreneurship, enterprise development and innovation in a
post-COVID-19 and/or post-Brexit environment.
d) Explore and develop projects for funding in thematic areas which are likely to feature
strongly in the next EU-funded programme. In this regard, projects which address the
climate agenda, digital transformation and projects that utilise the Smart Village1
approach to local area development should be encouraged.
The transitional period will also provide an opportunity to review the 2014-2020 LEADER
programme and to draw on learnings from that programme, as well as enabling arrangements
for the next EU-funded programme to be put in place, including the drafting of a new national
LEADER programme and Operating Rules, and new Local Development Strategies (LDSs).
Priorities for the Transitional Programme
While it is the responsibility of each LAG to decide on the projects it supports and the level of funding provided to those projects, the Transitional LEADER Programme should seek to address the challenges facing rural Ireland in the coming period and to complement the forthcoming Rural Development Policy which will place an emphasis on job creation, remote working, and maximising the potential of broadband in rural communities.
In this regard, LAGs are required to consider the following actions in the context of their
existing Local Development Strategies and to seek amendments to their Strategies where
appropriate. This is not an exhaustive list and LAGs may consider other actions that seek to
address key issues:
1. Supports to rural businesses seeking to reach new markets, expand, innovate and/or
diversify in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and/or Brexit, with a
particular emphasis on providing support to businesses in the food sector.
2. Community based projects that seek to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. Supports and capacity building for communities that have not previously received assistance under LEADER or other rural programmes, using the Transitional Programme for the LAGs and Implementing Partners to engage directly with new applicants to develop projects and enhance collaboration within communities.
4. Support for new and innovative projects in the areas of climate change, environmental protection and the green economy.
5. Maximising the potential of broadband and the digital economy in communities, including through skills development and building awareness and usage of available remote working facilities.
6. Projects that develop the concept of the Smart Village initiative or Rural Economic Development Zones (REDZs)2 which could serve as proof-of-concept for more substantial proposals in the context of the next EU-funded LEADER Programme.
If you would like to get in touch to discuss potential projects please contact:-
- Ms Claire Connors (Project Officer) on +353(58)51505 / +353(87)2311062
- Mr Jimmy Taaffe ( CEO & Project Officer) on +353(58)54646
