Year: 2014

News

Invitation to Project Promoters & Community Groups

Joanne Griffin

Letter of Invite by SKDP – March 2014

What do Government Reforms mean for our Community SKDP

Invitation to Project Promoters & Community Groups

 

Re: Alignment of Local Government & Local Development

 

You may recall that following the publication in October 2012 of Minister Hogan reform proposals in ‘Putting People First – Action Programme for Effective Local Government’

SKDP held a number of community meetings on the issue in February 2013 and a large public meeting in the CYMS Hall in Killorglin in May 2013.

Over the last two months there have been a number of serious developments on the alignment issue – that could have very far reaching consequences for SKDP and the work we do in South Kerry. These recent developments could make it impossible for SKDP to survive and continue to provide the range of economic, community and social supports it delivers to communities in South Kerry. I attach a one page briefing document that synopsises the issues.

In order to fully brief our communities and project beneficiaries on recent developments

SKDP will hold four public meetings as follows

 

Tuesday April 1st – 8pm – The Ring of Kerry Hotel Cahersiveen

Wednesday April 2nd – 8pm – Brooklane Hotel Kenmare

Tuesday April 8th – 8pm – Travel Inn Killarney

Wednesday April 9th – 8pm – SKDP Offices Library Place Killorglin.

These meetings will provide a detailed briefing to all groups on recent developments and their

potential impact on the work of SKDP in South Kerry. There will also be an opportunity for

you to ask questions/ make contributions from the floor. Action to be taken by communities

in response to the latest developments will be agreed.

These meetings are vitally important and I would urge you to please attend your local

meeting to show your support for South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd and the work

that we do in South Kerry. Otherwise there is a real danger that the community led bottom up

approach to local economic & community development, as implemented by SKDP, will be

lost to South Kerry.

I look forward to seeing you at your local meeting.

Yours Sincerely

Noel Spillane

Chief Executive Officer

March 2014

 

News

Call for participation in Reeks Mountain Access Forum

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Community groups and local businesses from the Glencar, Beaufort, Bridia Valley, The Black Valley and the Gap of Dunloe areas are being invited to become involved in the new MacGillycuddy Reeks Mountain Forum which is being established.

The forum is being put in place under recommendations arrived at following an extensive consultation process initiated by SKDP through the INTERREG Rural Alliance project and involving Failte Ireland, The Department of Environment, Community & Local Government, The NPWS, landowners and other partners. The purpose of the forum is to help ensure the long term sustainable management of the MacGillycuddy Reeks under a permissive access model that is acceptable to all interested parties.

SKDP’s Rural Recreation Officer Patricia Deane said that a substantial amount of work has gone into developing a visionary framework for the future management of the reeks involving all interested parties and the establishment of the forum is a key element of this. “It is vital that we have all of the voices around the table in this forum to ensure its future success in achieving its goal” Patricia said. “The aim is that this project will become the blueprint for similar management structures on other upland areas around the country” Patricia pointed out and added that the report produced following a lengthy consultation process and has made a substantial amount of recommendations that will help in the long term successful sustainable management of the Reeks”.

Any community groups and local businesses who are interested in getting involved with this forum and who wish to get more information on what is involved are asked to contact Patricia Deane in the SKDP offices in Library Place in Killorglin or by phone on 087 2031034.

“The MacGillycuddy Reeks are a significant asset to the region and it is vital that everyone has an input into their long term sustainable management so I would encourage all of the community groups and local businesses to get involved” Patricia concluded.

News

SMEs – Invitation to Free Business Seminar – 3rd April 2014 The Brehon Hotel 6.00pm – 8.30pm

Tracey Teahan

ARE YOU AN SME?  Well, this is the event for you.  A FREE information evening  on – How To Finance Your Business and Know Your Options – will be run by South Kerry Skillnet, Management Works, Rural Food Skillnet and South West Gno Skillnet

Topics Covered

Financing Your Business – Know your Options

Growing Your Own Business – Financing for Growth – Discovery Partnership

Bank Financing – What do the Banks require – Discovery Partnership

Bank Loan Refused, what’s next – Credit Review Office

Exploring New Options – Microfinance Ireland

Employment Investment & Incentive Scheme – Marcus Treacy, OCKT Accountants

Private Equity – Improving your Investment Potential –  SELR8R

Building Financial Capabilities in SMEs – Management Works

News

Enterprise Information Meeting In SKDP Killorglin this Wednesday 5th March

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Ever thought of starting your own business but never knew how or where to start? Are you after starting a small business and are wondering how you can grow and develop it? If these and other questions about starting and running a small business are ones you would like answered then you should attend an information evening in the SKDP offices, Library Place, Killorglin on this Wednesday evening (5th March). Being run as part of the Enterprise Month initiative and hosted by SKDP, the event will help provide you with some of the answers you might need in order to start or develop your business.

A number of people who have started up their own businesses will give you first hand insight into how they have achieved their success and you will also have the opportunity to get information on the supports that are potentially available to you in starting up your venture. You will have the chance to ask all of those questions that keep going around in your mind as well as meeting with other people who are also on the road of setting up or developing a small business.

The event will run from 6 to 8pm and light refreshments will be provided. It is free of charge and all are welcome.

News

Proposed CAP Changes & Farming on the Western Sea Board

Lisa Murphy

Guest Speakers Kerry TD’s

Friday 21st February 2014              8.00pm

Ring of Kerry Hotel, Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry

Over 300 farmers were in attendance on the night including farmers from Mid Kerry, Kenmare and a bus load from the Killarney Women in Agriculture group. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Pat O Driscoll Chairman of the South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd, Agriculture Working group.

All Kerry TD attended and spoke at the meeting with the exception of Michael Healy Rae TD who was represented Cllr Johnny Healy Rae. Mr James McCarthy IFA and Mr Noel Murphy of the Kerry ICMSA spoke at the meeting.

The meeting was very constructive with emotions running high at times. South Kerry like all the Western Sea Board has suffered from depopulation due to the decline in Agriculture and the lack of off farm work. The farmers are prevented from planting their land due to environment restrictions so income from forestry is not an alternative for most. Agriculture and Tourism are the only opportunities farmers have of making a living in their communities.

This is why the proposed CAP changes must deliver support to these farmers who want to be active and want to continue farming along the Western Sea Board. Most of the farmers are getting older and it is not possible to have a rural community with little or no young people. The age structure needs to be rebalanced if communities are going to survive and to prevent land abandonment.

The following are the views of the farmers that attended the meeting.

Environment is important.

  • GLAS needs to be targeted towards the Western Sea board based on the grazing of land on the coast and mountain areas. This is clearly outlined in the research work by Dr Eileen O’Rourke ‘Farming on the Iveragh Uplands’.
  • To maintain these landscapes and habitats you need moderate grazing as outlined by Dr Eileen O’Rourke ‘Farming on the Iveragh Uplands’
  • Money needs to be allocated for environmental work on farms in line with the 1st REPS Scheme. Tasks such as liming of land, protecting water courses, maintaining and planting hedges, farm yard tidy up are all important tasks that need to be carried out yearly. They require labour and some capital to keep the farm up to a very high environmental standard. In the past REPS proved to be a very successful in improving the environment on farm and contribution to the wider rural economy.
  • The proposed allocation of €5,000 under GLAS and a further €2,000 in GLAS + is not enough money to maintain farms on the western sea board which have to deal with harsh weather, high rain fall, long distance from the market place, long distances from farm supplies and an aging population who will have to hire labour to do a lot of this work on farms. All farms on the Western Sea Board should quality for GLAS +.

Coupled Payments are important

  • Coupled payments are important as they require daily farm activity in the rural areas which means that farmers have to live very close to their farms. In many cases this results in part-time farmers bring their weekly wages back into deeply rural communities. Many commute to work in large towns and cities but due to their farm activity live on farms in rural areas. This gives an important balance to population settlements across the country which in recent years has been in the opposite direction with many young people leaving the country side to live in towns and cities.
  • Payments need to be indexed linked.

Mountain Sheep Farming

  • A coupled payment of at least €30 per mountain ewe needs to be made to allow farmers keep ewes in the mountain areas along the western sea board. Otherwise the mountain ewe population will be lost and the skills of mountain farming will also be lost. These skills are handed down from generation to generation from farther/mother to son/daughter.

Beef/suckling Farming

  • There is need for a coupled payment of at least €250 per year for the Beef cow along the western sea board. The number of beef cows on the West coast and mountain areas is reducing daily due to the low returns in the sector. This payment needs to be made on the basis of quality and to farmers that hold these cows through the winter months (November, December, and January). These are the months that cost farmer and make Suckler farming an expensive business. Without this payment’s number will continue to drop in the more marginal land on the Western Sea Board leading to land abandonment and further de-population as outlined by Dr Eileen O Rourke.
  • All payments need to be indexed linked.
  • Coupled payments need to be capped and paid out to numbers on a sliding scale. For example The First 40 at x€ and the next 20 at x €, next 20 at x €, and the rest to a maximum of x €

Young farmers

  • The maximum possible top up payments needs to be allocated to young farmers. Many young farmers have not got land passed onto them due to the current single farm payment system. Any farmer under 40 years of age should be considered and young farmers at this stage due to the lack of movement of land over the last number of years and the closing of the Early Retirement Scheme.

Rural Development 

  • CAP Rural Development money needs to be spent on paying farmers to maintain walk way and Greenway’s on their lands. These facilities provide important recreational activities on rural Ireland for visitors and local people. They help to make rural Ireland an attractive place to live and work in. There are important in encouraging young people to live in rural areas. If these facilities are opened up and well maintained they have the potential to create major economic activities.

Removing Scrub

  • Restrictions on burning mountains based on particular dates of the year need to change. There has been no day yet this year suitable for burning. The seasons have changes and the Department of Agriculture needs to change. The same should apply to slurry spreading. Northern Ireland and Scotland have a longer time span for burning and their environment is much the same as the West of Ireland. They operate controlled burning which works very well. This needs to be included.

LEADER

  • The national Co funding of LEADER needs to be a minimum of 46% in line with the General Co-funding rate for pillar 2.
  • The LEADER programme needs to be delivered locally through the current Local Development Companies.

 

It is proposed to hold a follow up meeting with the Kerry TD’s on Friday 14th March 2014 in the Ring of Kerry Hotel, Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry at 8.00pm to see what the response is to the proposals above.

 

For Further information in the above please contact

Mr. Joseph McCrohan,

Rural Development Officer,

South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd,

Cahersiveen, Co Kerry.

Tel 066 9472724 or 087 2849165

E mail: [email protected]

News

Proposed CAP Changes & ‘Farming on the Western Sea Board’

Lisa Murphy
The Agriculture Working Group of South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd invites all farmers and their partners to the following discussion meeting on theProposed CAP Changes & ‘Farming on the Western Sea Board’Guest Speakers Kerry TD’sFriday 21st February 2014 8.00pm
Ring of Kerry Hotel, Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry

• All the Kerry TD’s have confirmed their attendance at this meeting. …

• All farmers are invited to attend and put forward their views on the proposed CAP changes and how these changes will affect their lives and the rural communities.

• Will these proposed changes contribute to Rural Development or lead to Rural Decline?

Agenda

• Welcome Pat O’Driscoll, Chairman Agriculture Working Group, SKDP
• Short over view of the proposal CAP Changes Speaker TBC
• Each TD gets 10 minutes to give their view on the proposed changes.
• Farm Organisations position. James McCarthy, IFA
• Questions and answers.
• Conclusion

For further information please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Joseph McCrohan, Rural Development Officer, South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd at the above address.

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News

Meeting to discuss CAP Changes – This Friday (21st Feb) in Cahersiveen

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South Kerry farmers are being invited to have their views on the new CAP proposal changed heard at a public meeting to be held in Cahersiveen on Friday night next. Organised by South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd. the meeting will also enable farmers to make their views known on the issues that affect them in farming on the western sea board.

SKDP’s Rural Development Officer Joseph McCrohan said that all of the Kerry TD’s have  agreed to attend to listen to the views of the farming community and to outline what they as politicians can do to ensure the voice of farmers in rural areas are heard.

Joseph said that farmers would firstly be given an overview of the proposed changes in the new CAP and the likely implications these changes will have in rural regions such as South Kerry. “The farming organisation will also outline their views of the new CAP so that those attending will get a very good overview of the new programme and have the chance to make an informed judgement on it” Joseph added.

He said that a crucial question that needs to be answered at this time is will these proposed changes actually contribute to Rural Development going forward or rather lead to further Rural Decline. “It is vital that all farmers who will be affected by these changes are properly informed of there possible effects and have a chance to have their views heard and taken on board and we aim to achieve this through this meeting” Joseph concluded.

The meeting takes place in the Ring of Kerry Hotel in Cahersiveen this Friday night at 8pm. It is open to all interested and is free of charge.

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News

Public Meeting for Landowners on MacGillycuddy Reeks Mountain Access Proposal

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Landowners on the MacGillycuddy Reeks are being invited to a public meeting in Beaufort on Thursday night next to discuss the proposals around the mountain access project. The aim is to develop a pilot project on structured permissive access to the Reeks uplands and to identify the most appropriate management structure to ensure the sustainable management of the area.

A report on the issue, co-funded by SKDP’s Interreg Rural Alliances project, The Department of Environment, Community & Local Government and Failte Ireland has been undertaken to come up with proposals on how best the project can be moved forward. Following an intensive consultation process this report has now come up with a proposed model to achieve these aims entitled the MacGillycuddy Reeks Mountain Fourm.

SKDP’s Rural Recreation Officer Patricia Deane pointed out that all of the land involved on the Reeks is in private ownership and it is essential that the concerns and requirements of landowners, as well as those who wish to access the land are fully taken on board under these new proposals. “This is a significant resource in terms of outdoor activity in Kerry and one that needs to be carefully managed to ensure its long term sustainability as working farm land as well as a magnificent walking route and as a sensitive environmental area.

She added that SKDP is continuing to work with both the Department, Failte Ireland and other partners with a view to implementing the measures that will be agreed in the plan.

The meeting takes place in Beaufort Community Hall this Thursday night (30th January) at 8pm and all are welcome.

News

BTWEA Featured Business – Impression Fashion Boutique

Joanne Griffin

Impression Fashion Boutique by Joanne Griffin

Passionate about the latest fashion?

Introducing to you, Impression, the latest ladies fashion hub in Killorglin where they are one step ahead of the game, following the latest trends hot off the runway. They’ve got your style covered with their wide range of clothing and accessories and personal shopping service

Impression is excited to showcase their unique collections from Italy, France, Poland, Turkey and Spain that ranges to include everyday/formal/party dresses together with all the essential accessories such as scarves, tights, leggings, Italian handbags and handmade earrings.

Anita Waszkiewicz, Impression keen eyed owner-buyer is successfully bringing “chic elegance to Killorglin”. Anita edits the collections meticulously to bring her fashion loving customers trendy basics and must have pieces each season. Impression is located on Iveragh Road, Killorglin (next to AIB Bank) and is fast gaining a reputation as a “must visit” destination.

Make sure, you’re on trend this season …. with Impression!

Further information on this enterprise, can be found by simply by calling into Anita at Impression on Iveragh Road, Killorglin from Monday through to Saturday, 10am to 6pm.

This exciting new enterprise has emerged in 2013 with the help of the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) facilitated by South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd (SKDP). This scheme encourages people getting certain social welfare payments to take up self employment opportunities by allowing them to retain a proportion of their social welfare payment, plus secondary benefits.

For further information on the BTWEA, please contact an Enterprise Officer from SKDP in your area. Joanne Griffin (Killorglin and Kenmare) on 087 615 2660 or Anne O Riordan (Cahersiveen and Killarney) on 066 947 2724.