Preasráiteas: Ceiliúradh ar 35 bliana LEADER – molann an tAire Calleary grúpaí as sprioc shuntasach a bhaint amach
Media Release
35 years of LEADER – Minister Calleary congratulates groups on reaching significant milestone
The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, has today (Sunday, 15 March 2026) congratulated LEADER groups all across Ireland for the vital work that has been delivered over the lifetime of the Programme.
The LEADER Programme was launched by the European Commission on this day, 15 March 1991, by Irish Commissioner Ray MacSharry, and once established in Ireland, it has been ever present in rural communities across the country.
LEADER was designed to provide communities with the resources to drive their own local development through a “bottom-up” approach that empowers local partners and communities, with Local Action Groups helping to identify specific needs and directing the development of their areas through Local Development Strategies.
Minister Calleary said:
“The LEADER programme has been a cornerstone of rural development policy in Ireland for 35 years. I want to thank all the stakeholders who have been involved over the years, you should all be very proud of what you have achieved to date. I want to acknowledge former Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Ray MacSharry for his foresight and leadership during his tenure which seen major reforms of the CAP.
“LEADER funding has provided rural communities with the necessary resources to bring about real change in their own local communities, through a community-led local development “bottom-up” approach.”
LEADER has evolved through several programming periods and continues today as part of the 2023–2027 LEADER Programme, which is gathering significant momentum now with projects being approved across the country.
To date under the 2023–2027 programme, over 1,000 projects have been approved for LEADER funding of over €50 million, supporting a broad range of enterprises and community groups across rural Ireland.
Minister Calleary added:
“The milestone of over 1,000 projects being approved for LEADER funding under the 2023–2027 programme is an achievement that shows the considerable support from my department and the European Union to rural communities nationwide.
“Grant aid awarded under the LEADER programme has played a critical role in empowering communities across rural Ireland by providing community groups, businesses, and individuals with the required resources to actively direct local development in their areas.
“This has enabled our rural communities to address the specific needs and challenges in their local areas and to become more resilient, while supporting job creation, and improving social and economic wellbeing.”
LEADER into the future
The LEADER programme is funded as an intervention under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and, therefore, the development of the EU regulations relating to the post 2027 CAP, is a matter of significant importance to the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.
Ireland has and will continue to advocate for a well-funded CAP that supports farm viability and resilience, environmental ambition, and rural development measures such as LEADER.
Minister Calleary concluded:
“The development of the CAP post-2027 is a matter of significant importance for my Department. As these EU negotiations progress I will continue to advocate for the LEADER programme to remain a core element of the new CAP framework and for the continued prioritisation of a well funded LEADER programme in the coming years”
Further information about the LEADER Programme is available online via the Department’s LEADER homepage: www.gov.ie/LEADER
Preasráiteas
Ceiliúradh ar 35 bliana LEADER – molann an tAire Calleary grúpaí as sprioc shuntasach a bhaint amach
Inniu (Dé Domhnaigh, 15 Márta 2026) rinne an tAire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta, Dara Calleary TD, comhghairdeas le grúpaí LEADER ar fud na hÉireann as an obair thábhachtach a dhéanann siad.
Sheol an Coimisinéir Éireannach Ray MacSharry clár LEADER tríd an gCoimisiún Eorpach ar an lá seo, an 15 Márta 1991, agus bíonn sé ar siúl i gcónaí i bpobail thuaithe ar fud na tíre.
Dearadh LEADER chun acmhainní a sholáthar do phobail chun a bhforbairt áitiúil féin a thiomáint trí chur chuige “ón mbun aníos” a chumhachtaíonn comhpháirtithe agus pobail áitiúla, agus Grúpaí Gníomhaíochta Áitiúla ag cabhrú le riachtanais shonracha a aithint agus forbairt a gceantar a threorú trí Straitéisí Forbartha Áitiúla.
Dúirt an tAire Calleary:
“Is ar chlár LEADER a tógadh beartas forbartha tuaithe in Éirinn le 35 bliana anuas. Gabhaim buíochas leis na páirtithe leasmhara go léir a ghlac páirt thar na blianta, ba chóir go mbeadh sibh go léir an-bhródúil as an méid a bhain sibh amach go dtí seo. Tugaim aitheantas don iar-Choimisinéir Talmhaíochta agus Forbartha Tuaithe, Ray MacSharry, as a stuaim agus a cheannaireacht le linn a thréimhse san oifig, rud a chuir athchóirithe móra ar an CBT.
“Cuireadh na hacmhainní riachtanacha ar fáil do phobail thuaithe le maoiniú LEADER chun fíorathrú a thabhairt i gcrích ina bpobail áitiúla féin, trí chur chuige forbartha áitiúla “ón mbun aníos”, faoi stiúir an phobail.”
Tháinig LEADER chun cinn trí roinnt tréimhsí clársceidealaithe agus leanann sé ar aghaidh inniu mar chuid de chlár LEADER 2023–2027, atá ag dul ó neart go neart anois agus tionscadail á gceadú ar fud na tíre. Faoi chlár 2023–2027, ceadaíodh breis is 1000 tionscadal go dtí seo le haghaidh maoiniú LEADER de bhreis is €50 milliún, ag tacú le raon leathan fiontar agus grúpaí pobail ar fud cheantair thuaithe na hÉireann.
Dúirt an tAire Calleary:
“Ceadaíodh breis is 1000 tionscadal le haghaidh maoiniú LEADER faoi chlár 2023–2027. Léiríonn an éacht seo tacaíocht shuntasach ó mo Roinnse agus ón Aontas Eorpach do phobail thuaithe ar fud na tíre.
“Tá ról ríthábhachtach ag an gcúnamh deontais a bhronntar faoi chlár LEADER i gcumhachtú pobail ar fud cheantair thuaithe na hÉireann trí na hacmhainní riachtanacha a sholáthar do ghrúpaí pobail, do ghnólachtaí agus do dhaoine aonair chun forbairt áitiúil a threorú go gníomhach ina gceantair.
“Chuir sé seo ar chumas ár bpobail thuaithe aghaidh a thabhairt ar na riachtanais agus na dúshláin shonracha ina gceantair áitiúla agus a bheith níos acmhainní, agus ag an am céanna tacú le cruthú post, agus folláine shóisialta agus eacnamaíoch a fheabhsú.”
LEADER amach anseo
Maoinítear clár LEADER mar idirghabháil faoin gComhbheartas Talmhaíochta agus, dá bhrí sin, is ábhar thar a bheith tábhachtach don Roinn Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta forbairt rialachán an AE a bhaineann le Comhbheartas Talmhaíochta iar-2027.
Tá Éire go mór ar son Comhbheartas Talmhaíochta dea-mhaoinithe a thacaíonn le hinmharthanacht agus acmhainneacht feirmeacha, uaillmhian comhshaoil, agus bearta forbartha tuaithe ar nós LEADER.
Mar fhocal scoir, dúirt an tAire Calleary:
“Tá forbairt Chomhbheartas Talmhaíochta iar-2027 thar a bheith tábhachtach do mo Roinnse. De réir mar a théann caibidlíochtaí AE ar aghaidh, labhróidh mé ar son chlár LEADER a bheith ina ghné lárnach de chreat nua Chomhbheartas Talmhaíochta agus ar son tús áite leanúnach a thabhairt do chlár LEADER a mhaoinítear go maith sna blianta amach romhainn.”
Tá tuilleadh eolais faoi chlár LEADER ar fáil ar líne trí leathanach baile LEADER na Roinne: https://www.gov.ie/LEADER