Gildernew celebrates £2million funding for the Rural Community

Minister Michelle Gildernew MP, MLA has celebrated the issue of £2million funding under Axis 3 'Quality of Life' of the Rural Development Programme (RDP).

The funding was awarded by South West Action for Rural Development (SWARD) to project promoters under the Farm Diversification and Business Creation and Development Measures. SWARD is the delivery mechanism for Axis 3 of the RDP for the four council areas of Magherafelt, Cookstown, Dungannon and Fermanagh with the councils working in partnership with a Local Action Group (LAG).

Speaking at the Cookstown launch the Minister said: “One of the Rural Development Programme’s greatest qualities is that it allows us to support small business creation and development. Such enterprises help sustain and grow rural communities and often provide a badly needed boost. One of my high hopes for 2010 is that the RDP will play a key role in assisting rural businesses to take advantage of the expected economic recovery in the coming year.”

She also focused on farming and said: “I am very encouraged that the roll-out of Axis 3 of the RDP has now reached grassroots level and this will be an exciting time for rural people on the ground in the SWARD area. This £2million RDP investment will empower them to start putting this funding into action to benefit their communities.

“Farm Family Members can now move forward with plans to diversify or expand existing businesses, which will provide a very welcome additional income to their Farm Business and local rural economy. In today’s harsh financial climate the success of rural businesses and the economical survival of our rural communities are more important than ever.”

At the event the Minister highlighted the positive progress across all measures within the Rural Development Programme and said: “The huge investments now being made by the Department for farming and forestry, rural businesses and community projects will have social, economic and environmental benefits not just for rural communities but for all of us.”

The Chairperson of the Joint Council Committee, Cllr Trevor Wilson, congratulated all those project promoters who had been offered funding: “The economic climate has changed substantially in the past few years and it must be recognised that project promoters are experiencing much greater difficulty in obtaining match funding for their projects. However the quality of the projects leads us to believe that they will be implemented successfully.”

He also praised the work of the LAG in assessing more than 200 projects and stressed the need for the Joint Committee and the LAG to work in partnership.

The LAG Chairperson, Austin Kelly, outlined the innovative nature of a selection of projects. They included the manufacture of uileann pipes, a boat sail repair service, the manufacture of specialist isolation units for healthcare, recycling of plasterboard, manufacture of kits for small aircraft and digital signage units: "All the promoters have been able to show need and financial sustainability and we are confident that when the projects are implemented they will make a significant contribution to the rural economy in terms of new jobs and increased turnover."

The cluster will soon be inviting applications to the RDP. For further information please check the SWARD website.

The Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 is part financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Notes to editors:

1. The allocation to the SWARD cluster (Cookstown, Magherafelt, Dungannon and Fermanagh council areas) was £20,522,227 to deliver Axis 3 ‘Quality of Life’ Measures of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013.

2. This component of the RDP contains the following measures:

• Diversification into non-agricultural activities – Farm Diversification;
• Business creation and development;
• Encouragement of tourism activities;
• Basic services for the economy and rural population;
• Village renewal and development;
• Conservation and upgrading of the rural heritage.

3. The Minister had asked local councils to come together in clusters to deliver the Axis 3 ‘quality of life’ measures of the Programme on a sub-regional basis, and seven clusters were formed. Each cluster works with a Local Action Group ensuring bottom-up delivery with local people responsible for local decisions.

4. All media queries should be directed to the DARD Press office on 028 9052 4619. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.