We wish to support the continuation of the role of the 50 existing, experienced Local Development Companies in Ireland as;

1. The designated organisation to design and deliver our Local Development Strategies to be submitted to the Irish Government for budgets under the LEADER and Local Community (& Activation) Development Programmes 2014-2020

2. The designated contract holder (EU ‘Local Action Group’ Status) for the above named funds and for a range of other related funding streams

3. The decision maker for all funds assigned to the Local Development Companies to be invested in local communities, enterprises and initiatives based on their Integrated Local Development Strategies.

In this critical time of economic transition and weakening social cohesion, we believe that job creation and the protection of employment,developing innovative practices to support entrepreneurship, small local business and innovative joint ventures, engaging positively with people without meaningful employment, and developing the capacity of our communities to work inclusively, are essential factors in the seeking to achieve a sustainable, dynamic, caring future.

We acknowledge the role that Local (Partnership) Development Companies play in the delivery of these objectives through their local, bottom-up decision making structures, their skilled and knowledgeable staff, enabling communities to address participation, inclusion and challenges in terms of providing effective services, and their ability to forge effective long-term relationships with a range of public and private stakeholders to create an independent, trusted local platform of support for a range of beneficiaries.

You can find out more about what these changes will mean by visiting; www.ildn.ie/news