Dear editor,
Mayo Community Platform is greatly concerned about the possible threat to the future of South West Mayo Development Company (SWMDC ) and other integrated local development companies arising from the broad local government reforms contained within the Government policy outlined in ‘Putting People First’. This policy proposes changes to remove authority, responsibility, and funding from South West Mayo Development Company and all similar companies nationally.
Mayo Community Platform is a network of organisations in Mayo involved in anti-poverty and equality work. We have seen the successful bottom-up, grassroots and accessible manner in which the voluntary board and staff of SWMDC operate. We fear that the expertise built up over the past 20 years around disadvantage, rural isolation, social inclusion and rural economic development will be lost if the functions of SWMDC are lost to a new, unproven local authority-led Social Economic Committee (SEC ). We cannot find any international evidence to support these proposed changes, and contrary to these proposals the principle of subsidiarity in Article 5 of the Treaty on the EU ensures that decisions are taken as closely as possible to the citizen.
We urge the wider community in Mayo to support the retention of independent, community based organisations like SWMDC in order to continue the integrated delivery of the LEADER programme along with a wide range of other community programmes. Support can be given by attending one of the public meetings being held over the coming weeks, Monday 8 April at 8pm in the McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris and Monday 15 April at 8pm in Castlecourt Hotel, Westport.
Yours sincerely,
Michelle Rooney,
On behalf of Mayo Community Platform.
