2020 - 2021
IRD DUHALLOW | PROGRESS REPORT
Chairperson’s Address Having completed my second year as Chair of IRD Duhallow I am delighted to present this year’s Progress Report, on what can only be termed as an extra ordinary year with the challenges of COVID-19. Once again the solid leadership and steady hand of governance of my fellow directors has enabled IRD Duhallow to not only deliver on its existing programmes and community services but to seek out and introduce new initiatives to address the emerging needs identified across all cohorts of our communities.
Thanks to our hard working Independent Evaluation Committee led by Declan O’Keeffe who diligently evaluate all projects. I want to acknowledge the support of the LCDC staff in Cork and Kerry led by Kay Keegan in Cork with Andrew Lewis, Terence Sheehan, Maire Ní Thuama and in Kerry led by Niamh O’Sullivan, Liz O’Donnell, Anne Marie Fitzgerald and Lisa Fanning and both Local Community Development Committees in the successful implementation of the programme.
Guided by our core values of being Courageous, Innovative, Responsive, Caring, Driven and Trusted, the Company has navigated a course to ensure our four pillars of Development; Social, Cultural, Economic and Environmental, are progressed with equal emphasis so that we have balanced and sustainable development in the region.
I must acknowledge the support we get from Government Departments and Public Bodies and Agencies. The programmes we deliver are funded by the Departments of Rural and Community Development; Employment Affairs and Social Protection; Children and Youth Affairs; Agriculture Food and the Marine; Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Housing and Local Government; Justice and Equality; Education and Skills, as well as the HSE; Cork and Kerry Education and Training Boards; SEAI; Pobal; The Dormant Accounts Funds; Skillnet Ireland; Tusla; LAWPRO and Gas Networks Ireland.
We were unable to hold our annual Strategic Review in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. This is a two-day intensive session, which starts with our Board Meeting and continues for the day with Directors new and experienced, the Chairs of our many Working Groups, Management and Staff including new Staff all having the opportunity to review our Strategies, interrogate our mission and core values and through facilitated sessions, set the course for the company for the next year. It is a significant commitment from our voluntary Directors and Working Group Chairs, but is invaluable to the Company as an effective induction, consolidation of mission and core values, as well as networking and defining purposes and roles.
This time last year we were facing uncertainty as our LEADER Programme drew to a close and with no decision on a new programme. Great credit is due to the Board, Management and Staff for holding firm and continuing their vital work during that time of uncertainty. I wish to thank Heather Humphries, Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Department for announcing the interim LEADER Programme to link directly to the next round of European funded LEADER and putting Local Development Companies back on a sound financial footing as well as providing funding for projects.
For me as Chair, it is essential for cementing relationships, reinforcing the roles of all in the good governance and success of the Company. We are hopeful that we can resume again this year in the autumn within the guidelines laid down by NPHET and the Government.
I was delighted to see the Social Partnership model of development which, was so powerful in the past, be reconvened again this year. We would welcome a return to the emphasis on partnership and away from the more recent preferred competitive tender process, which could lead to more privatised system of delivery that could see the most vulnerable in society not getting the level and scope of service they deserve and so badly need, coming out of the COVID pandemic and the fall-out that is emerging from that experience.
We were honoured to have Minister Norma Foley launch our Progress Report last year, having been just appointed as Minister for Education and a Dail Deputy for Kerry, part of which is in our Region and we look forward to welcoming her back. It was my privilege to welcome Mr Joe O’Brien TD and Minister of State for Community Development and Charities at the Department of Rural and Community Development. I was delighted to show him the positive impact that the Community Services Programme, Tús, Rural Social Scheme and Community Employment Schemes are having on the lives of the participants as well as the range of essential rural services they underpin.
The Programme of Government has committed to independent Local Action Groups supported by LCDC’s to deliver LEADER in the next round and IRD Duhallow would welcome the opportunity to become an independent LAG once again, having over three decades of experience and expertise, we believe that the LAG role sits best on the Local Development Companies that are closer to the ground and can integrate the Programmes to add value and get the best results.
As Chairperson I am satisfied that the appropriate controls exist and are managed effectively, to meet the governance requirements of the Charities Regulator. As a company our Board and Senior Staff sign up to the Ethics in Public Office Standards.
As a Board we are immensely proud of our Management and Staff and how they have embraced and adapted to the new challenges presented this past year. Our achievement of the NSAI Gold Standard in Excellence Through People was wonderful recognition of how we operate.
In thanking my fellow Directors and in particular our outgoing Vice Chair Annette O’Mahony for her support throughout the year and to Michael Twohig who is the Chair of our Finance Committee for his financial oversight; I want to pay tribute to our Directors who have had to overcome a number of obstacles in order to meet at Board and Working Group level on screen rather than in person. Some were forced to drive a distance in order to get phone coverage to enable dial-in, in the absence of broadband and weak phone signal.
I want to thank my fellow Directors for their hard work and valuable contributions during the year and look forward to working in partnership with our communities, social partners and state agencies to effect a positive COVID recovery for all sectors and people in the Duhallow region. In particular, I would like to thank our Former Chair Mary Wallace who continues to chair our Social Economy Working Group. Finally, I would like to thank our highly competent staff ably led by our formidable CEO Maura Walsh who has given 30 years’ service to the Duhallow region.
This year we welcome new Board Members, Geraldine O’Leary, newly elected Community Representative for South Eastern Duhallow and Dominic Cronin who joins the Board representing the Farming Organisations and a member of the ICMSA.
Breeda Moynihan Cronin CHAIRPERSON
During the year we bade a sad farewell to former Director Pat Keane RIP and it was surreal not to be able to attend his funeral to pay our respects.
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