Local Development Company to Visit European Commission

North and East Kerry Development (NEKD) will send representatives on a delegation to the European Commission in Brussels on the 17th and 18th November. Brigid Ní Chonchúir and John Loughrey of NEKD will travel as part of a delegation with Sinn Fein MEP Liadh Ni Riada, to make representations on behalf of Communities in North, East and West Kerry.

As part of the delegation they will stress the importance of a community led, bottom up approach in the distribution of European Funding in Kerry, especially the LEADER Rural Development Programme, and they will lobby for the continuation of this approach for the new LEADER Programme 2014-2020.  They will also explore other opportunities to bring additional EU Funding to Kerry through a range of European Programmes.

NEKD Chairperson, Bernard Collins said “It is vital that communities in Kerry continue to have a say in how LEADER RDP Funding is distributed, and that this funding is targeted at the specific needs of those communities.”

Eamonn O’Reilly, CEO of NEKD added “NEKD is working towards attracting a range of EU Funding streams to North, East and West Kerry.  This delegation gives us a great opportunity to identify additional funding for our communities and to influence decision making in Europe in relation to programmes for rural development and addressing disadvantage.”

Beidh comhlacht fobartha áitiúil ag tabhairt cuairt ar Choimisiún na hEorpa.

Beidh NEKD ag seoladh daoine chun ionadaíocht a dhéanamh ar Chomisiún na hEorpa sa Bhruiséil ar an seachtú lá agus an t-ochtú lá déag de Mí na Samhna. Beidh Brigit O’Connor agus John Loughrey ag taisteal mar bhaill den NEKD le fheisire Eorpach ó Sinn Féin Liadh Ní Riada. Beidh siad ag déanamh ionadaíocht ar son na daoine i phobail ón dtuaisceart, ndeisceart agus tIarthar Chiarraí.

Dá bharr, beidh siad ag caint faoi agus ag cur béim ar an tábhacht a bhaineann leis an phobal agus an cur chuige a thógtar le maoiniú na hEorpa i Contae Chiarraí. Go háirithe leis an tionscnamh forbartha tuaithe ‘LEADER’. Beifear ag argóint go leanfaidh an cur chuige seo ar aghaidh le haghaidh an tionscnamh nua ‘LEADER’ ó 2014 go dtí 2020. Bainfidh siad triail as deiseanna eile chun maoiniú airgid a fháil ón Aontas Eorpach le haghaidh muintir Chiarraí.

Dar leis an Cathaoirleach, Bernard Collins, “Tá sé an-tábhachtach go mbeidh muintir Chiarraí ábalta ará cá mbeidh an airgid ‘LEADER’ ag dul agus ba chóir acmhainní a chomhchruinniú sna réigiúin is mó gátar”.

Dúirt Eamonn O’Reilly, Príomhoifigeach feidhmiúcháin, “Tá an NEKD ag obair chun srutheanna airgid a fháil le haghaidh tuaisceart, deisceart agus Iarthar Chiarraí. Tugtar deis iontach dúinn chun aitheantais a chur ar sruthanna airgid difriúla agus chun tionchar a bheith againn ar cinntí in Eorap maidir le tionscnamh forbartha tuaithe agus dhírigh ar na míbhuntáistí.”