KILDARE: Briefing delivered on economic plan

Politicians at the latest Clane-Maynooth Municipal District (MD) meeting on Friday, March 3, were shown a presentation on the on the Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) 2023-2028.

Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) co-ordinator Susan Bookle delivered the presentation, in which she noted that the MD is 'a quickly growing one.'

In her presentation, she said that the role of the LCDC is 'to plan and implement agreed approaches to local and community development.'

She said that the LCDC oversaw a range of programmes, including: Healthy Ireland, LEADER, Sláintecare Healthy Communities.

In addition, she mentioned that the LCDC is in receipt of around €4 million in grants annually.

The LCDC is a 19 member committee: 10 are non-statutory, nine are statutory.

Explaining what the LECP is, Ms Bookle said that it’s purpose is 'to set out for a six-year period the objectives and actions to promote and support the economic and local community development of the county.'

"It consists of two main parts: the development of an overall LECP framework outlining High-Level Goals and Sustainable objectives; and the development of an Implementation Plan," she said.

Ms Bookle added that some aspects of the plan will have shared objectives and actions, as they will fall under both economic and local/community development.

She further said: "It provides a framework for related decision making and resource allocation."

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As for the group's plan for 2023, Ms Bookle said that after consulting Census 2022, the group will 'draft high-level goals', due for the end of April.

Following this, a consultation period will take place for three months. This will be followed by two months of the LCDC finalising its goals and LECP plan, and then two months of carrying out the plan.

"Review and evaluation (of the project) will be ongoing," she noted in her presentation.

The briefing was welcomed in particular by Social Democrats councillor Aidan Farrelly and Fine Gael Cllr Brendan Wyse, with the latter remarking: “Our MD will be very happy to be involved.”

Labour Party Cllr Angela Feeney suggested that the plan could also be presented at local schools.