Calling all Rural Women

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

The EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland (2007-2013) the PEACE III Programme is a distinctive European Union Structural Funds Programme aimed at reinforcing progress 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. The council clusters for PEACE III are exactly the same as the council clusters for RDP, however with Belfast, which stands alone.

Councils have appointed Consultants to hold a series of animation meetings throughout the various council clusters to act as information events and to gauge the key concerns of local areas and to provide opportunities for members of the public to put forward nominations to sit on the partnerships.

Consultation events

Below is a list of consultation events that we are aware of to date:

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

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.

Encourage women to attend

We would encourage as many rural women as possible to attend these 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 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.

More information

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

t: 028 86769191
f: 028 86765644
e: nora@nirwn.org.uk