Kilkenny KLP chief warns LEADER funding 'unsustainable' for rural development

LEADER funding could be unsustainable to the task of rural development, Declan Rice, CEO of Kilkenny LEADER Partnership has warned.

Speaking at the Europe’s Rural Future conference in Naas, Co Kildare on Tuesday morning, he questioned Mario Milouchev, Director, DG AGRI, European Commission on the possibility of ring-fencing an adequate LEADER budget in the next round of funding. Mr Milouchev responded that not all member states were in favour of ring-fencing.

“The Commission has proposed – and the member states have agreed – that LEADER is obligatory,” Mr Milouchev said. “However, there are some practical difficulties when it comes to ringfencing. Perhaps we can discuss some ideas around these at this conference.

He added that a further challenge to the negotiations on the new spending system for rural development was persuading finance ministers.

“Sometimes it is difficult to explain how important LEADER is to the finance ministers,” he said. “They are going to lead the negotiations. But in all member states ministers for regional development and agriculture are participating.”

The Europe’s Rural Future conference is organized by the Irish Presidency of the Council of Europe and the European Commission and is discussing LEADER and community led local development after the current LEADER programme ends next year.