The Local and Community Development Programme is one of around a dozen programmes administered by Local Development Companies (aka Partnerships) around the country.
One of the better-known programmes is LEADER (or to use call it by its proper title, the Rural Development Programme). 
Here’s just one example, from Kerry, of how the North East Kerry Development used funding from the Rural Development Programme to make a real difference for a small business in Ballybunion that employs eight seasonal staff.

NOTE: The upcoming edition of ‘Changing Ireland’ out this June will include a 2-page feature on the RDP. As well as supporting small local businesses, the RDP also funds projects that engage in community development, tourism interests and heritage work.

This project, which targets young men and early-school leavers, is supported by the North Tipperary Leader Partnership which is part of Ireland’s national Local and Community Development Programme.

Ideas discussed earlier included an idea from Brazil called ‘Participatory Budgeting’ where the citizens have a real say in how their taxes are spent locally. Another suggestion was for Citizens’ Juries, as already piloted in Ballymun, Dublin.
We’ll keep you posted on what Nenagh proposes – after the results of the discussions come in.

The photo shows the discussion in progress.

Activists in Ireland are now learning from old hands, through Spunout.
The youth organisation is organising its 2nd ‘Academy for Activists’ which will be held in June. You can read full details in their press release here.
Among those leading the learning will be Sarah Clancy (pictured).

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BY BRENDAN MEEHAN

“If we are serious about ending extreme poverty, we must get European countries to work together and the decisions to be taken in the next few months will determine whether Europe is ready and able to take on that task,” Hans Zomer, director of Dóchas told the press.

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A 27-year-old man was before Killarney District Court today charged with “actions likely to stir up hatred.”
Patrick Kissane from Knockasarnett, Killarney, Co. Kerry appeared before Judge James O’Connor.
Solicitor for the defendant, Pat F. O’Connor sought to have the case heard at a later date and Inspector Martin McCarthy, prosecuting, agreed saying, “This is a rather unusual charge and we’d like to get the DPP’s views on the whole thing.”
The case was adjourned  until July 19th, to be heard in front of the same court.
The defendant was charged in connection with offences dated  October 1st of last year.
The Irish Traveller Movement’s assistant director Brigid Quilligan and Mary Boyne from Kerry Travellers Development Group attended the court today “to observe and to monitor proceedings.”

North East Kerry Development’s Progress Report covering 2009-2010 was launched today in Listowel.
Speakers included a community representative and a businesswoman who relayed how they had benefitted from the local development company’s support.
Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs, Jimmy Deenihan, officially launched the report.

PHOTOS BY CHANGING IRELAND, FEATURING IN BOTH SHOTS: Eamon O’Reilly, NEKD chief, Pat Mitchell, chairman and Minister Jimmy Deenihan.

LIVE REPORT – CHILDREN IN CROSSFIRE DIRECTOR, THE MAN WHO BROUGHT THE DALAI LAMA TO IRELAND
Richard Moore from Children In Crossfire introduced the 14th Dalai Lama in Dublin this morning.
Richard set up the NGO some years after losing his eyesight as a child to a British bullet in Derry in the 1970s.
Richard  said the Dalai Lama always teases him about how beautiful his wife is.
Richard and the Dalai Lama have become solid friends, with the Dalai Lama publicly naming him a “hero” and asking people to imagine what it would be like aged ten to find you’ll never see your mother’s face again.
“I don’t cope with being blind, I (now) enjoy being blind,” said Richard.
Today’s event is being held to inspire people to realise they have a duty to seek change.
He gave one simple but glowing example from his own life:
“A woman called Teresa Matterson from Co. Down read about what happened me  in the newspaper and wrote letters to my mother for many years after.”
“My mother has never met her, but she kept all the letters and last year I met her for the first time.”
“Well, there’s one simple action by a woman in a small town in Northern Ireland  that she took when she was moved (by the story and how his mother must feel). She wrote to her every week. She’ll never know how much that meant to my mother.”
Richard then told in a humorous way of how his mother’s religiosity weighed him down literally:
“My mother was very religious. She used to pin holy medals to my vest as a child. When I walked I rattled.
“She used to rub holy water, Knock water and St. Anne’s oil in my eyes and someone said I was lucky I didn’t drown.”
Being serious, he added:
“My mother’s prayers were that I’d get my eyesight back. Well I didn’t but I got a hell of a lot more out of life. You can take away someone’s eyesight but you can’t take away their vision and mine is Chrildren in Crossfire.”
– Report by Allen Meagher

INTRO
This is a live report from Saggart, Co. Dublin, oddly named after the Irish word for “priest.”
The theme of today is activism and taking action, but the Dalai Lama speaks here of nurturing peace within the individual and within society. ALLEN MEAGHER reports:

LIVE REPORT
“No-one on this planet inspires people more than the Dalai Lama,” says Children in Crossfire director, Dr Richard Moore.
Dalai Lama spoke, beginning by recalling how in 1959 the Irish Government was supportive of the Tibetan cause.
A small nation can produce some wonderful people, he said giving the example of a daughter of one of the victims of the Omagh bomb whom he met this morning.
“But she showed no sign of anger or hate.”
He said that was wonderful and laughed his characteristic laugh.
“We all want happiness, a peaceful life. The source of happiness is not money. Billionaires are deeply unhappy people, they have too much anxiety. Have an open mind, take a holistic approach… these are the basis of inner strength, inner peace.
“Wherever I go I try to share with other people that you should look inwards, the source of happiness is inside.”
He said sports, dance and so on were “useful” but said the ultimate source of happiness is within us.
He referred to the man who invited him to Ireland Richard Moore as a “hero” and a happy person.
DM referred to the British solider (he probably means policeman) who was shot.
He talked of the promotion of religious harmony – “Here you need more effort.”
He previously visited NI twice and remarks with irony, “Both (communities) are followers of Jesus Christ.”
“I’m a Buddhist. We have no idea of a creator.”
But he said he admired the deep spiritual practise of Christian “monks” he met in NI.
HE SAID THAT DURING THE 2 DAYS OF HIS VISIT TO IRELAND, HE CALLED FOR A LIFELONG COMMITTMENT TO PEACE.
Answering media questions, he said in reference to the high rate of mental health illnesses in Ireland – He said societies where people look outside themselves for happiness were faulty (I’m summarising not quoting).
“People put too much emphasis on material values. And also, the lack of experience of inner values. Self-confidence reduces anxiety and stress. Inner strength also brings genuine friendship, because you’re behaving honestly, openly.
“The basis of genuine friendship is trust.”
He said he has now stepped down as the political leader of the Tibetian movement (for freedom from China’s colonialisation of his country).
The press conference continues… more shortly perhaps!
Why is Changing Ireland here today – the Possibilities conference is about people taking action for change, it’s about nurturing community activism.

CAPTION: Tomorrow’s gig-like event is one of the biggest ever for Irish activists. If you can’t go, you can follow it via a live webcast on this site.

TODAY of all days, Fintan O’Toole wrote about the Irish people’s failure to rise up and protest and lamented the lack of activism. He’s correct to a point but he took no account in his article of activism that is happening and tomorrow just happens to see one of the biggest activist gatherings in years. 


John Monaghan from Pobal Chill Chomain in Erris is going to appear in front of 2000 people at the ‘Possibilities’ event in Dublin tomorrow. Maybe most people are turning up to hear/see the Dalai Lama, Mary Robinson and Kila. But this gig is sold-out and the message is that taking action for change is something we all have a duty to do. It’s about activism, led by some of most notable activists of our era. The Government is interested in nurturing entrepreneurship in our schools, but there are many others in civil society interested in nurturing a sense of real civic responsibility and a duty to engage, to protest, to stand up for people’s rights.
Tomorrow’s gig is intended as an event that’s part of a movement (www.possibilities.ie) like the many others we’ve listed in Changing Ireland magazine – Claiming Our Future, 2nd Republic, New Beginnings, Direct Democracy, People’s Convention, New Vision and more. However, the Possibilities movement may be the biggest to emerge from the collapse of financial capitalism yet.
If only the enemy – greed/ignorance/oppression – lived in a house in Dublin and people could lay siege outside, Egyptian style, taking direct action that the Dalai Lama and John Monaghan would be proud of.
Don’t write off the people in Ireland yet!
People may one day go to jail for all that went on.
By the way, one of the guests making a presentation tomorrow is community development worker Rita Fagan from St. Michael’s Estate in Inchicore, Dublin. The project she co-ordinates is funded under the Local and Community Development Programme.
The event has been organised by three not-for-profits, namely AfrI, Spunout and Children In Crossfire. 
– Allen Meagher, editor, ‘Changing Ireland’