Hogan Announces €180,000 under the Rural Development Programme to support a collaborative Green Enterprise

Source: Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Phil Hogan, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government announced today (2 March, 2012) that he has given sanction to Roscommon LEADER Partnership and Meath Partnership to approve funding of up to €180,000 for a joint initiative to establish Green Business Training and Support hubs in Counties Roscommon and Meath.

This funding, provided under the Implementing Cooperation Projects measure of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 will provide the necessary financial support to develop a model for excellence in green business training at a dedicated hub located within each partner territory. These hubs will deliver niche, cutting edge, industry-relevant training and support with an environmental sustainability focus.

“This is an innovative approach to addressing the training need of business in the challenges and opportunities of the working in a green economy. The project will support rural dwellers in both Meath and Roscommon to avail of opportunities in the green sector as they arise and to exploit these to their maximum potential. In utilising the resources available under the RDP this project will build the capacity of business to develop and implement a variety of green business ideas in an environmentally sustainable way. I am confident that this type of initiative will support the achievement of the aims and objectives of the RDP to diversify the rural economy and improve the quality of life in rural areas. I would like to congratulate both Local Development Companies for coming together to implement this inventive and interesting approach to capacity building for green entrepreneurship at local level,”  said the Minister

“The LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme continue to offer significant financial resources to rural communities and it is important that such communities continue to harness local energies in order to avail of these resources and further develop all aspects of their own communities.”
The Minister added, “This project will now go back to the Boards of Roscommon LEADER Partnership and Meath Partnership for the final approval. This is in line with the EU’s “bottom-up” approach to rural development”.
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