“On the cusp of a huge opportunity” Interview with: Ryan Howard in Brussels

Ryan Howard

By Allen Meagher

“We’re standing on the cusp of a huge opportunity here,” claims Ryan Howard, talking about Ireland’s potential to unlock EU funds for communities from 2014 onwards.

From 18 months time, the European Commission (EC) proposes just one “programming tool” for all structural funds.

In doing so, the EC has given official recognition and backing to a process knows as Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) and Ireland is better prepared than most to make use of the funding that’s been earmarked.

For a country to have access – by the hundreds of million – it needs to have a network of local action groups in place to channel the funding.

Leading the field, Ireland already has a national network in place, namely the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP).

Very Good News From Brussels for Communities

There’s good news from Brussels as more funds may begin flowing towards communities throughout Europe in two years time.

The European Commission talks for the first time in its spending plans about “community-led local development” as it looks towards 2014-’20.

The folk who write for LDnet want to know what this gobbly- gook phrase means, while acknowledging the Commission’s proposals mark “a turning point in favour of local development”.