Mayo North East LEADER Company which has taken over the responsibility for a large portion of the work of Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta which dealt with LEADER schemes in the Gaeltacht area and which closed in 2011, is currently going through the ‘legacy files’ from the area and hopes to have the work on these files completed by the middle of the month and then open up for new applications which will be paid out by the end of the year. The members of the Belmullet Electoral Area were informed of this news at their September meeting this month.
Sinn Féin councillor Rose Conway Walsh told the meeting: “LEADER, Alleluia, how long has it been? Three years? I’m glad that there’s progress being made on this. I also hope that they have the resources to go through all these files and that all the projects get what they are owed.”
She also said that “I’m mindful that five people lost their jobs when the old MFG went overnight and I think they should be re-engaged.”
Fianna Fáil Cllr Michéal McNamara said, “in relation to Leader, there’s no doubt that Achill and Belmullet have lost out over the last few years and we have to go back to the Minister and like for funds to make up what was lost between then and now.”
