It Was A Pleasure To Meet You

The Lost Mother of Ireland

So why are we holding public consultations?

IRD Duhallow is currently preparing a bid for the LEADER strategy for the Duhallow region. As a company, we have successfully delivered four LEADER programmes since we were founded in 1989, which have brought jobs, enhanced community facilities, environmental improvements as well as amenities to the region. Due to a welcome change in Government Policy, IRD Duhallow has now once again been invited to bid for the next LEADER programme as the LAG where our Board with locally elected members that can make decisions on LEADER in its own right. The strategy for this bid must be submitted by July and is based on the needs and priorities of the people living within the IRD Duhallow region.

**Attendees at the community meeting in Bweeng**

**Amanda O’Sullivan who is the IRD Duhallow Board Representative for Macra na Feirme at the Banteer Consultation Meeting.**

What is the area that IRD Duhallow is bidding for?

The IRD Duhallow area crosses the boundaries of two Local Authorities, North and South Cork, as well as Kerry. It is what Europe recognises as a natural area of development, with common challenges and opportunities across the area and so it makes sense to view this region together as a whole. This IRD Duhallow area is small enough to be cohesive and shares common purpose. It is also large enough to support development and achieve sustainability.

It has formed and cohese over three decades and with remarkable achievements in all communities. We look forward to the next programming round and working with you all to achieve even more!

How do I have my voice heard?

IRD Duhallow has already undertaken consultations with a large number of groups we work with including tidy towns, farmers, youth, women as well as and older people; businesspeople, those working and looking for work, people with disabilities and people caring in the home. We have worked with those with environmental interests on River Catchment, Biodiversity as well as community planting projects. We have also engaged through our European Smart Village Initiative and the follow on Place Standard Survey. If you haven’t had the chance to feed into our strategy yet you can still do so, and it is vitally important that all voices are heard from people in the region. We have circulated the place standard survey throughout the region. The questionnaire invites local people to give their views about their quality of life, sense of place, local amenities, and facilities. Already over 1200 people have completed this survey and the form will continue to take submissions until the 31st of March.

To complete the Place Standard Questionnaire, visit the following link, or use the accompanying QR code. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJR5SYPQQf7fkvnJJeLDqTmwpWjcoyJ-50xG3J2ftb59YzFQ/ viewform

If the idea of a form puts you off, or if you know of anyone who would like to submit their views and may have literacy or other issues, please pick up the phone and contact any of our Development Officers who will be happy to hear your views. Our offices can be contacted on 029-60633 or by email: duhallow@irdduhallow.com.

We will have our LEADER strategy submitted in July and will have started our social inclusion strategy. Once completed we hope to be back to you all with a concrete plan.