This is a walk to raise awareness that being Physically Active is one of the most important steps that you can take to improve your well-being whatever your age or ability.

This is a great chance to meet other people just like you & make a positive step to a healthy and more active lifestyle.

Regular physical activity is a great way to help you feel and look good.

Come join in the fun for an enjoyable day, with breath-taking surroundings, of the Sheep’s Head peninsula.

Date: Sunday 28^th April 2013

Time: 11:00 a.m.

Meeting & End Point: Arundels “By the Pier” Ahakista 

For Further details, please follow this link 

The training will cover photography, carbon copying of inscriptions, audio recording of stories, digital archiving and much more.

For more information look at www.historicgraves.com.

The public meetings take place at the following locations:

Tuesday 19th March  – Kinsale – Trident Hotel - Time: 7.30pm – 9pm

Thursday 21st March - Clonakilty – Fernhill House Hotel - Time: 7.30pm – 9pm

Monday 25th March – Dunmanway – Parkway Hotel - Time: 7.30pm – 9pm

Tuesday 26th March - Ballydehob – Ballydehob Community Hall – Time: 7.30pm – 9pm

Wednesday 3rd April – Ballyvourney – The Mills Inn - Time: 7.30pm – 9pm

Thursday 4th April - Glengarriff – Eccles Hotel – Time: 7.30pm – 9pm

There is no registration for the open meetings, you are simply invited to turn up on the evening of your choice.

If you require more information on this project please contact David Tuohy at 023 8834035 or by email to david@wcdp.ie .

On October 16^th, 2012, the Government published proposals to align the local government and local development sectors[1]. While the principle of alignment and co-ordination of strategies and resources between local authorities and local development companies (as well as between numerous Government Departments) is to be welcomed in improving support services and resources to local areas, this should be a reciprocal approach based upon achieving maximum value-added in strategic planning, resource allocation and programme delivery. The proposals should seek to build upon the known competencies, successes and track record of all parties involved in local community and economic development. This is clearly not the case as the report as published appears to go much further than mere alignment and clearly seeks the integration of local development resources within a local authority-led model. It should be noted that much critical detail relevant to the proposed arrangements is omitted from the report, apparently yet to be worked out. Local development companies (LDC’s) should be concerned at a lack of such detail as it is evident from the Alignment Report that local development companies would be radically altered and reduced in scale, function remit and resources, with for the most part, their functions, autonomy and resources subsumed by alternative structures such as the proposed Socio Economic Committee (SEC). The implications of such a development are considerable and wide-ranging.

In summary, the Alignment Report as published envisages the structure and role/remit of the SEC as:

Structure:

• A Public-Private Partnership structure.
• Legislation will be enacted that will allow for the role of local authorities in establishing an SEC in each local authority area.
• The local authority manager / CEO will be responsible for bringing together the SEC in accordance with national guidelines provided by DECLG.
• The local authority will provide executive support for the SEC.
• The SEC will also have the power to delegate other roles to the local authority or other bodies such as the administration of programmes under its remit.
• It is intended that the SEC will be established in such a way that it will be eligible to be the structure through which LEADER is delivered in accordance with EU requirements.

Role / Remit:

• Established by each county and city council, the SEC should have responsibility for planning and oversight of local and community development programmes and should be established on a statutory basis. It should be responsible for developing the County/City Local and Community Plan.
• The SEC’s statutory status will underpin its role and authority in local and community development, planning and oversight. It should have a tightly defined membership with executive support led by the County Manager/Director of Community and Enterprise. It is the view of the Steering Group that, to be effective, the SEC should comprise no more than 15 members, representing the local authority, local and community interests and appropriate State agencies.
  • All partners will work together through the SEC to develop one local and community development plan which will then be resourced through different funding streams.
  • Oversight responsibility for the management and disbursement of local and community development programme funds, the matching of resources to priorities and achievement of value for money in accordance with the County/City Local and Community Plan should be vested in the SEC.
  • It is intended that LDCs will deliver local and community development interventions on the ground.
  • All individual programme plans will have to conform to the city / county development plan.
  • The SEC will essentially be able to contract out responsibility to relevant bodies to deliver certain aspects of the plan through different programmes / funding streams. Initially this will include responsibility for how DECLG programmes are delivered in the immediate future (LEADER, LCDP, Rural Recreation) and possibly in the future other department programmes such as Tús / RSS.
  • Decisions regarding the allocation of funding will rest with the SEC, while administrative functions, including inter alia payment of funds, performance monitoring, auditing and reporting will be undertaken by the county/city council. The disbursement of local and community development funds will be subject to financial procedures and controls consistent with other funds disbursed by county/city councils, and which ensure compliance with all programme regulatory requirements. Responsibility for accounting for outcomes and impact of programmes will also move to the County/City Manager over time.
  • The technicalities of what LDCs would be or how they could be part of the SEC and contracted by it at the same time remain to be worked out.
  • Whilst the Alignment Report states that there should be one local development structure per local authority boundary, the SEC will have flexibility to decide how programmes are implemented locally and who does this.
  • No decision has been made as to whether the SEC will be the applicant body for the next round of LEADER Rural Development programme funding for the period 2014-2020.
  • Certain core LEADER Rural Development Programme functions such as enterprise, village renewal and basic services are likely to be delivered directly by the Local Authority rather than Local Development Companies.

It is critically important that the implications of the Alignment Report if implemented and its likely impacts on local community, social inclusion and enterprise development be considered. Central to these considerations might be the:

• Variance with legislative proposals for cohesion policy adopted by the European Commission in October 2011. These proposals prioritise a single methodology which focuses on specific sub-regional territories and is community-led by local action groups composed of representatives of local public and private socio-economic interests. The prioritisation of community-led local development by member states in the period 2014-2020 will see the successful LEADER methodology within EAFRD rural development funds extended to the European Social Fund (ESF), European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) and European Fisheries Funds (EFF)[2].
• Undermining of the successful LEADER methodology (which will inform EU Cohesion Policy in the period 2014-2020 across five primary funding streams) and its specificities in bottom up development, partnership, innovation, integrated multi-sectoral development, networking, co-operation and the resourcing of area-based development strategies.
• Dismantling of existing local development company structures, personnel & resources and the loss of the integrated, multi- programme local development model (LEADER, Local Community Development Programme, Rural Social Scheme,  Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme, Tύs, Rural Recreation, etc.) and the alignment and co-ordinated delivery that currently exists therein
• Variance with European Court of Auditors position with regard to LEADER published in 2010, which state “that the potential added value of a partnership was not achieved in Local Action Groups (LAG’s) where the decision making was dominated by the local authorities”.[3]
• Consolidation of the 5 existing Cork local development companies within one 15 member SEC (or alternative sub county structures aligned with local authority boundaries) thereby reducing existing aggregate board membership and engagement to a fraction of its current level.
• Promotion of a singular, local authority-led development model and the loss of complementary and value-added local development strategies and resources currently planned, delivered and resourced by local development companies.
• Failure to demonstrate a valid business case that the proposed arrangements enhance or improve the efficiency and costs inherent in local programme strategic planning, delivery, resourcing and accountability.
• Strategic planning for local and community development programmes based on local authority county/city boundaries, rather than natural areas of development.
• Conflation of the statutory role and responsibilities of the local authority with that of the non-statutory but complementary and value-added development approach of the of local development companies.
• Transfer of local development company administration funds to support local authority administration and the creation of additional, more costly layers of administration and bureaucracy.
• Loss of local autonomy, representation, resources, skills, input and expertise in the decision-making, strategic planning, delivery and oversight of a range of economic, social and local development programmes with consequent reductions of local input, volunteerism and active citizenship.
• Consolidation of decision making, delivery, accountability and resources in new structures removed and distant from local needs and input will not improve or enhance effective programme delivery.
• Reduced role of local development companies as animators only and the separation of the animation process from strategic planning and decision making.
• Financial constraints of locally resourced rather than exchequer resourced local development.
• Threatened continued viability and solvency of local development companies and the likely loss of substantial employment by the local development companies. It is not anticipated that existing staff will transfer from the local development companies to the local authority. Moreover, the transfer of administration resources to the local authority will not allow current level of employment to be retained within the local development companies.
• Further attrition and loss of a range of services, facilities and resources offered directly in rural areas

For further information/Comment

Ian Dempsey

CEO

West Cork Development Partnership

West Cork Technology Park

Clonakilty

West Cork

 T: 023 8834035

E: ian@wcdp.ie

W: www.wcdp.ie

[1] Source: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Administration/FileDownLoad,31308,en.pdf

John G. O’Dwyer walks Finbarr’s Pilgrim Path taking him from Drimoleague to Kealkill….”if the mythical hidden Ireland exists, I have surely crossed its heartland” featured in the Irish Times magazine, Saturday 16th of February 2013. To read the article in full, click on the link below. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/travel/2013/0216/1224330028231.html

Cork Rebel Week will be a celebration of “All Things Cork” and will act as the lever which makes Cork stand out as a location of choice in Ireland to foreign and domestic visitor markets.  It will showcase Corks’uniqueness and culture, people and history as well as the beauty of the region.

Cork Rebel Week has as its minimum target, the attraction of 5,000 overseas visitors, which, coupled with national and local audiences, will be good forCork’s economy and to raise awareness ofCork as an Irish destination.

There is lots more information available about Rebel Week on www.corkrebelweek2013.com.

As part of Rebel Week, International Marching Bands will be invited to Cork to partake in the Event.  Local Communities in Towns throughout Co Cork, and districts in CorkCity, will host the bands and will organise local events and activities throughout the week with the highlight of an International Cork Parade in Cork ityon Saturday 19^th October.  Towns in Co Cork can now apply to be considered as a HostTown.  Below are further details of what becoming a HostTown involves and what you can do to ensure your Town can be considered in the selection process.

What does being a Host Town/District  Involve?

Being a Host Town/District involves a Town, or District in the case of Cork City, hosting a 50 piece International Marching Band from Wednesday 16^th October to Sunday 20^th October 2013.  The Band’s School or college will fund all travel expenses to Ireland.  The HostTown will be required to provide accommodation, meals, transport and activities for the 50 piece Band.  This is a similar arrangement as the successful Special Olympics concept.  Family and friends who accompany the band will stay in Hotels and/or B & B’s in the Host town at their own expense.

What funding is available for a Host Town/Districts?

A fund of up to a maximum of €7,500 will be provided by Cork County Council towards the costs of being an official Host Town.  Each approved Host Town will have to retain all receipts for expenditure incurred in being a Hos tTown and produce these to claim funding subject to a maximum of €7,500 per Host Town.  The successful Host Town will also be expected to fundraise/source local sponsorship if additional funding is required.

 What is the closing date for receipt of completed applications?

The closing date for receipt of completed application forms is Friday 22^nd February.

To get an application form please contact Anne O’Donnell or Louise at Cork County Council, Tourism Department, Floor 10, County Hall,Cork.  Alternatively you can phone 021 428 5998 or you can email your query to  Louise at info@corkrebelweek2013.com

It is proposed that there will be 8 Host Towns approved for Co Cork and 4 Districts approved for Cork city.

Training Programmes:

Understanding Finance – Tourism Business 

Sales & Marketing – Tourism Business

Tour Guide Management & Tour Guiding 

Traditional Stone Wall Building

Youth Leadership Programme 

Recently/ Early Retired Training Programme 

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/travel/2012/1229/1224328248730.html