Welcome to the LEADER East Public Relations Project website. Here you can find press releases and contact details relating to print and broadcast stories covered in the national, regional and local media on the work of the eleven ‘LEADER’ companies in the East region. LEADER East is comprised of:

• Carlow Local Development Company
• Fingal LEADER Partnership
• Kildare LEADER Partnership
• Kilkenny LEADER Partnership
• Laois Partnership Company
• Longford Community Resources
• Meath Partnership
• Offaly Local Development Company
• Westmeath Community Development
• Wexford Local Development
• Wicklow Partnership

The non-governmental organisations are so-called as they operate the LEADER elements of the EU’s Rural Development Programme which has a focus on the grass-root missions of job-creation, enterprise support and integrated rural development. For further information on the on the LEADER philosophy and its central part the EU’s rural development policy go to http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/rurdev/index_en.htm The job-creation projects of the LEADER East group are collected here under a number of sector themes:

• Small Food Businesses
• Creative Enterprises
• Green Economy

The LEADER East Public Relations Project is an initiative of the Eastern regional network of the Irish Local Development Network (ILDN) which represents all 52 urban and rural local development operating in the state. In addition to the LEADER Programme, which is delivered in rural areas, the local development companies deliver a wide range of schemes and initiatives in cities throughout urban and rural Ireland. For further information on the other work of the local development go to http://www.ildn.ie