Address by Mr. Noel Treacy T.D., Minister for Science, Technology and Commerce at the Launch of the Creggs Rural and Local Development Plan on Monday 20th September 1999 at 7.30pm in O’Roarke’s, Creggs, Co. Galway.

I am very pleased to have been invited here today to launch the Creggs Local Development Plan which was part funded by Galway Rural Development under the LEADER II Programme. As many of you will know, the main focus of the LEADER programme is to help people to have a say in their own local development. The County Galway Leader Board has played a key role, in actively encouraging and supporting people in our local communities to help themselves. For that reason, the LEADER programme has been a very important support mechanism in rural development over recent years. By providing the means to allow local groups to identify needs and opportunities in their local areas it enables them to respond to the situation to best effect. Groups like the Galway LEADER Company have been using the programme to harness the enthusiasm and the untapped energy that reside in abundance within rural communities, across the country.

Creggs Rural Development is an excellent example of a rural community that has become more active through the LEADER II programme. This local group, formed in January of 1998, with assistance through the LEADER animation programme is an excellent model of community development practice. With practical assistance and advice being provided by Glenamaddy Community Development Company the local group here, quickly formed sub-groups in the areas of Training and Enterprise, Infrastructure and Environment, Social Services and Heritage. All of these sub-groups have identified a number of projects that are included in this local development plan.

Indeed Creggs Rural Development has already put into action some of the proposals within this plan. They have already completed a computer-training programme and have an Internet site on the World Wide Web. Both of these projects, were also assisted by the Galway Rural Development Board. The Creggs Group also have ambitious plans for landscaping the village and the development of the community centre. Recently, we were delighted to be able to allocate a small grant of £2,000 to your Community Centre Project, under our Voluntary Organisations Programme.

Since its introduction in 1995, LEADER has had a significant impact on the development of our rural areas. While the emphasis is on community development rather than employment creation, the approved groups have reported that over 2,700 new full time jobs can be attributed to LEADER activities in rural areas throughout Ireland. A roughly similar number of jobs have been maintained. The programme has provided the conditions and support for the creation of almost 1,500 small firms, craft enterprises and innovative local services and over 500 new community groups have been established. These are impressive statistics by any standard and show the impact that the programme is having in rural Ireland. They do not, of course, reflect the equally important and valuable benefit to rural areas arising from the training, advice, support and encouragement which is provided to voluntary and community groups, small firms and many individuals throughout the country at large.

While we in Government can do much to put the conditions in place to promote and facilitate development. However, at the end of the day, local and rural development is about people, and the communities in which we all are proud to live. Rural communities are, in my experience, more than willing to contribute to their own local development and we in Government, must ensure that our policies encourage them in this regard. Certainly, in my view, Galway Rural Development is making a vital contribution in this area to the overall process. I would like to sincerely congratulate Mr. Denis Neylon, Chief Executive and all of the staff and Board Members for their on-going work with small rural communities.

Finally, I would like to congratulate Creggs Rural Development on their success to date and wish them every success with the implementation of this local development plan. Much work has been undertaken by Ms. Bina Harris and her hard working committee to bring this document to publication.

However this Report will not implement itself. Even with strong support, the success or failure of the plan will depend largely on the entire local community acting together. The people of Creggs must want the plan to succeed and must implement an effective strategy to this end. From my knowledge of this vibrant and spirited Community, I know that the people of Creggs will not be found wanting in this great collective effort.