Background to LEADER

The LEADER Programme was originally established as the European Union’s initiative for Rural Development and commenced on a pilot basis in Ireland in 1991. As a result a number of groups came together and Cavan Monaghan Rural Development Cooperative Society Limited was formed to oversee the delivery of LEADER in this region. The Cavan-Monaghan region was one of the first pilot areas to successfully deliver the first LEADER programmes in Europe. Since 1991, there has been a LEADER type Rural Development Programme in place in the Cavan-Monaghan region which has been the driving force in pursuing the development of the areas rural communities.

In the intervening period, hundreds of projects have been supported throughout the Cavan-Monaghan region with capital and marketing support, training and technical assistance including tourism, handcrafts, food and other enterprises, agricultural diversification, enhancement of the environment and community development. The Board of the local action group who were responsible for delivering three separate LEADER programmes since 1991 successfully accessed numerous other cross-border initiatives for the benefit of the people of the Cavan-Monaghan region and surrounding border counties.

The current Rural Development Programme (LEADER) was due to commence in 2007, but was delayed due to a number of national issues. This new programme, which puts LEADER in the mainstream of CAP reform measures will run until the end of 2013 and will cover all of the Cavan-Monaghan region, with the exception of Cavan town and Monaghan town.

Contact us for more information on the background of Cavan-Monaghan LEADER