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The ILDN is currently marking 25 years of serving communities through our network of 49 Local Development Companies (LDCs) across the country.  LDCs are not-for-profit, volunteer-led organisations that provide services in relation to employment supports, enterprise grants, social inclusion, training, well-being and environmental supports in a holistic and integrated manner so that all services can be provided under one roof.

The Government's 'Pathways to Work Strategy 2021-25, outlines the intention to replace the current model of Local Employment Centres and Job Clubs with a new model of Regional Employment Services. This new model proposes that by the end of 2021 community-led Local Employment Services will have to compete in open Requests for Tender against private operators.  Essentially, the Minister is seeking to replace the successful 25-year-old community-led and non-profit model of employment services with an untested, unproven, centralised profit-driven model of delivery.  Read more here.

ILDN Pre-Budget Submission 2022

Our Pre-Budget Submission 2022 - 'The Chance for an Inclusive & Developmental Budget' is available to download here.

ILDN COVID-19 Social Enterprise Regeneration Programme 2021

Applications for the COVID-19 Social Enterprise Regeneration Programme, funded by the Department of Rural & Community Development, are now closed. Successful applications will be announced in early May.

COVID-19

Right now, your Local Development Company is open for business through a combination of office work, home and remote working as well as being physically present in the community through their Social Inclusion and Local Employment Service staff, Tús workers, Rural Social Scheme and LEADER staff – observing Social Distancing protocols.

They are offering assistance to you and your community group, especially the most vulnerable.

Given their presence in local communities, the LDC response to the crisis has been rapid and widespread, with many of their 170,000 service users reached in the early days and weeks of the crisis. 

Currently, the 49 LDCs are receiving over 2,200 calls daily with COVID – specific requests for assistance and, in response, there are now 1,398 LDC staff plus scheme participants working directly on Ireland’s Community Call Response. The response in each area is different as LDCs support local structures and needs rather than imposing general solutions.

The wide range of responses now in place includes Friendly Calls services; Food provision; Pharmacy & Shopping Services; Employment and Self-Employment Supports; Supports to Community Groups; Online Training; Health, Well-Being and Social Prescribing; Mental Health Supports; Online grinds and education services to disadvantaged students; Supports to Social Enterprises; Supports to key target group such as Travellers, Roma, migrants and asylum-seekers.

All 49 LDCs are also key players in their Local Authority-led Covid-19 Community Call Response Forum.