The Irish Local Development Network (ILDN) has welcomed today’s (24th June 2021) announcement by Joe O’Brien TD, Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development of 7 named applicant organisations to take part in a pilot Community Development Programme including five projects supported by ILDN member Local Development Companies (LDCs). The aim of this €1m pilot programme is to trial community led interventions that address poverty, social exclusion and inequality, and promote human rights.
The announcement took place at ILDN member LDC Longford Community Resources CLG which hosts one of the successful projects – a Roma led project to enhance integration for members of the Roma community locally and in wider society generally.
Speaking at today’s announcement in Longford Community Resources, ILDN CEO Joe Saunders said: “I am encouraged to see our members in Clare, Donegal, Dublin, Kilkenny and Longford amongst the Community Development Projects announced today by Minister O’Brien. The funding confirmed today will assist our LDC’s support groups engaged with important social inclusion, anti-poverty and equality-based work with Traveller, Migrant and Roma Communities and other cohorts in need of assistance.
“This pilot Community Development Programme resonates with the important Social Inclusion Work our members do across the Country. All our 49 ILDN members nationwide provide a wide range of social inclusion and community integration services to marginalised communities such as migrants, Travellers and New Communities under the €43 million Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme (SICAP), funded by the Department of Rural & Community Development.
List of 5 successful pilot Community Development Programme organisations involving ILDN members and the themes of the proposed project are as follows:
| Organisation Name | Location | Themes |
| Donegal Intercultural Platform | Donegal | Migrants |
| Clare Local Development Company | Clare | Traveller |
| Kilkenny Community Traveller Movement | Kilkenny | Traveller Supports |
| Longford Community Resources | Longford | Roma |
| Inner City Organisations Network | Dublin | Women, poverty, housing |
