The FULL TEXT of this interview is below - scroll down.
Interview with Doirin by 'Changing Ireland' editor Allen Meagher.
INTERVIEW BACKGROUND
Doirin Graham's company took on a challenge and won. The
prize - community-led control over an €8.9million pot of EU/Irish funding for
the next five years under LEADER. On Monday, they learned of their success.
That morning, staff and board members literally ate cake (pictured). The cake was a gift from a local bakery.
In impressing the judges, Clare Local Development
Company proved to all and sundry that old ways can still be better than new
ways. Losing out in the competition was the Local Community Development
Committee (LDCD) in Co. Clare. In most counties, such committees confidently
expect to oversee the delivery of the next LEADER programme.
However, long-established local development companies
are competing with the new committees for LEADER funding in three remaining
counties.
Clare was the first to get the green light - they
received confirmation that their bid was the favoured one on Monday
morning.
It marked “a milestone” in the advancement of
Community-led over “Council-led” local development, as Doirin put it.
Clare Local Development Company was established in 1992
and Doirin has been employed by the company since ‘93.
On Thursday, Kilkenny LEADER Partnership learned that
they also had been successful. Responding to Doirin's interview, they said: “Well
done Doirin on providing an excellent account of the challenges to community-led
local development. Also well done of having the ability and courage to resist
the pressure to leave the LEADER application process clear to the local
authority-led Local Community Development Committee.”
“Local is not enough- it must be community-led to be
LEADER,” the statement concluded.
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| CLICK TO ENLARGE - Earlier local newspaper coverage of Kilkenny LEADER Partnership's "fight" to continue operating as a Local Action Group for delivering LEADER in the county. |
This first interview regarding the rollout of LEADER
funding and the selection of 'Local Action Groups' through a competitive process will be augmented by others.
FULL INTERVIEW:
