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CELEBRATING ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR: IRD Duhallow Launches Progress Report for 2023-2024 at its AGM
IRD Duhallow held their AGM on Monday 29th July and the Chairman Mr. Michael Twohig informed all present that he was delighted to present this year’s Report, which outlines the great year of progress, with IRD Duhallow being awarded new contracts for a wide range of programmes, which support Duhallow Communities in so many ways.
He reiterated that IRD Duhallow remains true to their core values of being Courageous, Innovative, Responsive, Caring, Driven and Trusted, we have navigated a course to ensure our four pillars of Development; Social, Cultural, Economic and Environmental, are progressed with equal emphasis to result in balanced and sustainable development in our region.
View the report online at www.irdduhallow.com, or pick your copy up throughout Duhallow. their core values of being Courageous, Innovative, Responsive, Caring, Driven and Trusted, we have navigated a course to ensure our four pillars of Development; Social, Cultural, Economic and Environmental, are progressed with equal emphasis to result in balanced and sustainable development in our region.
The Board of IRD Duhallow, backed strongly by our communities made the bold but considered decision to bid for independent status for the delivery of LEADER 2023 -2027. We were aware of the risks involved but we worked hard alongside our management team and staff to ensure that the best strategy possible for the Duhallow Region was submitted. In fact, we had to submit three separate strategies in line with local authority divisions rather than a composite strategy for the Natural Area of Development that is the Duhallow Region.
The good news is that we scored very highly and have been awarded the contracts for our North and South Cork LEADER
The Board now looks forward to getting the implementation phase off the ground as quickly as possible so that our pipeline of projects can be addressed, and the full impact of LEADER felt throughout Duhallow.
IRD Duhallow is long recognised as having a high-performance culture. On behalf of the Board, I want to thank our CEO Maura Walsh and the management team for their exceptional leadership and thank all our staff for their hard work and contribution to the ongoing success of IRD Duhallow.”
IRD Duhallow CEO Maura Walsh told all present “that their success in achieving independent LAG Status in the Cork areas of our region is a major achievement delivering on a priority of our Board. We welcome Community Services support for our Social Enterprises and the new WorkAbility Programme and look forward to seeing its positive impact on those with disabilities. This Programme has already recruited 10 Participants.
In presenting the annual Progress Report which provides a detailed account of the company’s activities and achievements in the past year, where Working Groups provide stakeholder engagement, oversight and guidance, and staff bring the expertise necessary to fully implement the company’s strategies, maximise the benefits of the various programmes we implement for the benefit of all our communities. In particular the impact of our community services such as our community Laundry serving 2,030 customers in 2023 and celebrating 10 years in operation this year; our Furniture Revamp with the addition of Relove recycled paint, took 25 tons of furniture from potential land-fill and saved over 2,300kg’s of paint from export and incineration and put it back in circulation; Warmer Homes retrofitting 248 houses and 2 community facilities; Seniors Monitored Alarms Service with 153 alarms arranged; We also supported Duhallow Community Food Services to expand our existing secondary schools service now in its 12th year. In response to the Primary Schools Hot Lunches Initiative, they are now preparing an additional 1,400 hot fresh meals delivered daily across the region.
We had impressive results across all our Programmes. €3.3m LEADER funding delivered 125 Projects; SICAP (Social Inclusion) supported 40 Community Groups and 457 individuals; Skillnet has upskilled 2,366 individuals in the last 12 months, while our Local Employment Service has supported 209 Long-term unemployed people. Our EIP closed, having engaged over 100 farmers who implemented a range of agreed actions that attracted results-based payments of €662,000.
Ms. Walsh sincerely thanked the Assistant CEO Eileen Linehan, for her vision, passion, resilience and diligence, as well as the exceptional leadership she provides to our Team Leaders, Helen O Sullivan, Triona Dennehy, Louise Bourke as well as our Accounts Manager Jackie Kelly. The hard work and commitment of all our RSS, Tus, CE and CSP supervisors and staff throughout the organisation is central to our ongoing success.
She paid tribute to the IRD Duhallow Chairman Michael Twohig who provides strong leadership to our board and is ably assisted by Anne Maria Bourke. They remain true to the essence of the company values, empowering and encouraging us to have the courage to challenge the status quo when it poses a risk to our progress, and to never compromise on doing the right thing for our communities, stakeholders, the environment and the people that we serve.
We look to the year ahead with optimism, hope and determination, ready to meet any challenges, in an environment of enhanced stakeholder expectations and regulatory requirements, restricted tighter budgets to meet rising inflationary administration costs. We have also the excitement of new programmes and new services to develop and offer, so with confidence and determination we look forward to the coming year”.
