West Limerick Resources has thanked all those who attended their public meeting last Wednesday night in the Courtenay Lodge Hotel, Newcastle West, regarding the proposed changes to the local development sector.
Hundreds of people from across the West Limerick area turned out to learn more about the potential implications of these changes on their com-munities and on the future sustainability of West Limerick Resources.
Speaking after the meeting Tom Madigan, chairman of West Limerick Resources, said: “We are sincerely grateful to the community for the huge show of support at our meeting. During this uncertain period it is encouraging to know that the company continues to enjoy the confidence and backing of the West Limerick community, who do not wish to see the role and effectiveness of the company undermined as a result of the proposed changes.”
The message “If it isn’t broken – don’t fix it” was echoed throughout the evening by the many people who spoke passionately about the benefits which they had accrued, both personally and in their community, as a result of the supports offered by West Limerick Resources. Many also stressed that financial support was often just one small element in a much wider menu of supports which West Limerick Resources offers and which the community fears will be undermined or lost as a result of the proposed changes.
The next few months are critical as contracts for West Limerick Resources programmes are due to end on 31st December 2014. “We continue to maintain that without our core programmes – the Local and Community Develop-ment Programme and the Rural Development (LEADER) Programme – the company’s future may become unviable. To date however we have been unable to gain a clear picture of what the future holds.”
As talks progress, West Limerick Resources has committed to keep the community updated on developments and hopes that a satisfactory resolution can be achieved.