Calling all Rural Women - 27/02/2008 ____________________________________________________
Northern Ireland Rural Women's Network (NIRWN) is seeking the view points of rural women on the Rural Development Programme (RDP) funding and Peace and Reconciliation III funding.
Two pots of funding amounting to millions of pounds will be distributed throughout Northern Ireland, through the RDP and PEACE III funding.
Rural Development Programme The Rural Development Programme (2007 - 2013) is designed to complement and work with the other EU support programmes to provide rural areas and rural population with a broad and integrated support mechanism, working within the context of the overarching Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) Rural Strategy.
Councils have been allocated into clusters, and have nominated a lead Council within the clusters to distribute the funding. Under the Rural Development Programme a Local Action Group (LAG) will be formed. The Local Action Group will be made up of Councillors and Social Partners (50-50). The LAG will be responsible for considering applications for funding.
The council clusters for RDP are: 1. Antrim, Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus 2. Moyle, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Larne 3. Derry, Strabane, Omagh, Limavady 4. Fermanagh, Cookstown, Magherafelt, Dungannon 5. Banbridge, Ards, Down, North Down 6. Lisburn, Castlereagh, Belfast 7. Craigavon, Armagh, Newry and Mourne
PEACE III For PEACE III again this will be running from 2007 - 2013 and funding will be distributed to work towards a peaceful and stable society and promoting reconciliation. Over the next 7 years under the PEACE III programme, funding will be made available to community and voluntary groups. A key output under PEACE III will be sectarianism and racism.
Under Peace III Sub Regional Partnerships will be formed, made up of a mix of Councillors, Statutory and Social Partners. The Sub Regional Partnerships for the Council cluster areas will consider applications for funding.
Rural Development Programme Information/consultation events
Magherafelt, Council Offices, Wednesday 27 February 2008 @ 7.30pm
Cookstown, Loughry College, The Shannon Suite, Monday 3 March @ 7.00pm
Dungannon, Dungannon and South Tyrone Council Offices, Tuesday 4 March @ 7.30pm
Fermanagh, College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise, Wednesday 5 March @ 7.30pm
Randalstown, ARCHES Association, 38-40 Main Street, Randalstown on Monday 25th February @ 7 pm
Carrickfergus, The Town Hall, Antrim Street, Carrickfergus, Tuesday 26th February @ 7pm
Ballyclare Town Hall, The Square, Ballyclare, Wednesday 27th February @ 7pm
Ballymena, ECOS Centre, Wednesday 27 February @ 7.30pm
Limavady, Training Room, Limavady Council Offices, Monday 3 March @ 7.30pm
Moyle, Moyle Council Offices, Tuesday 4 March @ 7.00pm
Larne, Larne Leisure Centre, Thursday 6 March @ 8.00pm
PEACE III Information/consultation events
Cookstown, Loughry College Wednesday 27 February @ 7pm
Everyone with an interest in rural development is being encouraged to participate and make their views known. We would encourage as many rural women as possible to attend events to find out more information on the funding programmes and voice key concerns in their local area. We would also like to ensure that there is a gender balance on LAGs and Sub Regional Partnerships. Therefore we would encourage rural women to consider to sitting on the Sub Regional Partnership or LAG. Women are currently underrepresented on decision making bodies, however play an important part in rural community development.
This is your opportunity to have your say for your local area. For further information on PEACE III or RDP, please contact:
Nora Smith Northern Ireland Rural Women's Network (NIRWN) 15 Molesworth Street Cookstown Co Tyrone BT80 8NX
