MEASURES AIMED at maximising funding for rural enterprises have been recommended in a report.
The National Rural Network organisation, based at the Tipperary Institute, called for a greater focus on rural enterprise and entrepreneurship in the delivery of the €425 million rural development Leader programme.
The report, published yesterday, Stimulating the Agricultural and Rural Economy through the Rural Development Programme, recommends greater collaboration between State bodies and local agencies providing services to farmers and rural dwellers.
It also called for building shared services by local action groups in the delivery of the Leader programme.
Drawn up by a committee chaired by John Malone, former secretary general of the Department of Agriculture and written by Dr Pat Bogue, it refers to a number of reports which argued that overregulation in the Leader programme was stifling activity.
The report said Government departments and local action groups should work together to minimise and simplify application procedures for Leader funding, within EU guidelines.
It calls for the development of a regulatory environment appropriate to the scale and nature of local enterprise development. It also says a funding gap that exists in the Leader programme for enterprises with more than 10 employees, should be addressed.
“One of the difficulties for the entrepreneur/potential entrepreneur is determining which agency is the most appropriate or relevant to assist them,” it said.
Among the other key recommendations in the report is that entrepreneurship should be included in all education courses, including mainstream agricultural courses provided by Teagasc.
It says specific enterprise development programmes should be provided for recently unemployed rural people.
It also proposes that the focus enterprises could be linked to rural innovation centres which would act as a hub for entrepreneurial support.
In addition, it says the Teagasc options programme needs to be revitalised and refocused and should be run in partnership with Fás, local action groups and educational institutions.