What is LEADER?
LEADER is a Rural Development Programme (RDP). Since its launch in 1991, LEADER has provided rural communities across the European Union with the resources to enable local partners to actively engage and direct the local development of their area, through community-led local development.
LEADER is co-funded by the Irish government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). In Ireland, the overall LEADER budget is €250m (7% of the RDP) with a budget of €9.8m allocated to County Wexford.
The EAFRD lists six priorities for rural development in Europe 2014-2020. LEADER is specifically programmed under Priority 6: “Promoting social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas.”
Decisions on LEADER funding are made at a local level by a Local Action Group (LAG) through the framework of a Local Development Strategy (LDS). A Local Action Group is made up of people from the local community as well as from the local public and private sector. The LAG in Wexford is comprised of the members of the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC). The LDS is a plan that is developed by rural communities to support sustainable development of their sub-regional area.
The Department of Rural and Community Development is the programme Funder for LEADER. Wexford County Council is the financial partner and Wexford Local Development are the contracted implementing partner for the delivery of LEADER 2014 - 2020 in County Wexford.