DECLARATION OF SUPPORT FOR IRISH LOCAL DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES

Integral organisation for Local Development in County Wexford

How can profit dictate investment in the people of our local communities when the "business model" has done nothing to help them so far

These compamies have done great work in communities that had beem forgotten by every organisation. We have done more work to combat isolation and lonelyness in communities. We have supported young people through youth activities. Our doors are open to all people who have idea's about what would work in their areas / communities.

Ballyhoura Development have been a great support and built local partnerships in both community and enterprise very successfully

Should Minister Phil Hogan's policies be implemented, that will be the end of the community led 'bottoms up' approach. Another nail in the coffin of rural Ireland

Having recieved funding from Donegal Local Development Company and been active on their Board, DLDC proves to be instrumental in supporting local community organisation and bridging the gap between the haves and have nots. A vital linkage and support mechanism will be lost to the wider community if DLDC and their counterparts across the country are lost.

We have had association with Ballyhoura Development since we started our project to build a multipurpose centre in Caherconlish in 1992. We now have a state of the art facility having recently undergone a major refurbishment which was fully supported and facilitated by Ballyhoura Development. Over 1000 people of all age groups and from a wide area of East Limerick come through our doors weekly. Without the help and assistance we receive from Ballyhoura Development on an ongoing basis we would never have achieved out goal. There is always somebody at the other end of the phone to help not matter how small a request may seem. We believe it would be detrimental to our area to lose Ballyhoura Development Ltd.

All that matters to the politicians is the bottom line on the spreadsheet. People and communities no longer enter into the equation. Small towns and communities are the backbone of this country.

This is a travesty. How could any right minded person not see that all communities have been benefiting from LDCs for years and they are an integral focused cost effective way of delivering projects and resources in the community.If its not broke don't fix it.

Irish local Development companies are vital to the prosperity of rural Ireland and creating an awareness of what each region has to offer.

Local Development Companies have forged invaluable links in their communities. This has enable them to deliver outstanding and innovative progects. The work of these companies on delivering socially inclusive programmes has been second to none. Tese companies are the best placed to deliver effective results with the diminishing funding availabl.

This bottom up approach has served the rural economy very well for the past decade. I have had interaction with the local development companies and found them very professional and helpful.Moving funding and closing these companies is madness.

Local Development Companies have brought so much to local communities over the years - they have kept the pulse going in the many rural areas around the country. From developing outdoor recreation infrastructure, running training courses, community work schemes, supporting new enterprises, social inclusion programmes - the list goes on and on. I wish to support the continuation of their role in the future.

When will people realise that the government is a closed shop when it comes to the concerns of the ordinary man and take positive action to remedy the situation? Local development companies are the heartbeat of local communities and we all need to understand that the so called "government of the people" hold a key to the defibrillator and they've pis*ed off on holiday. Get out in numbers and protest. Local elections are just around the corner. Use your votes and make them count. Stop "bitching" and wasting energy on pub politics. Change things by changing ourselves.

Local Development Companies are the heart , soul and strength of locaal commuities and are invaluable partners to other agencies and services.

The local development companies are well established with an organisation st up and working well and efficiently.Why pass over this work to a body already under pressure because of insufficient personnel and all projects would be delayed or cancelles why the council learnt what was needed and put in place the appropriate strategies.

Local Development works best when locals are in control of their own destiny as they will work harder to achieve success for their own local community.

we now need more than ever to have our Leader Programes and Local Community Developments programmes to support Local Groups in their efforts in building communities and creating employment that is very much needed at this time . There is great work done to date lets build on that and keep what is working well .

I am the chairman of the Kilteely/Dromkeen community Festival which is a huge success in the Limerick region. We have attracted visitors wide and farfor the last 6 years. It has brought alot of overseas visitors and business to the environs. This festival would never have got off the ground without the support , both financial and consultative from Ballyhoura. We have developped a great relationship, indeed friendship, with the people who work there. We, without doubt will, not survive without their continued support.

The support and information provided by my local development Company SECAD, has been really benificial in preparing me to launch my holistic practice. I got real information and training which I would not have been able to access otherwise without incurring costs I couldn't afford.