New plan aimed at reducing unemployment

A new plan that is being rolled out by Leitrim County Council aims to reduce unemployment numbers in the county while increasing the general population and tackling "rural decline". 

David McGlinchey, manager of the KPMG Future Analytics Team, informed members at the Carrick-on-Shannon Municipal District meeting that the company is assisting the Council in the development of their new Local and Economic Community Plan (LECP).

The LECP is a six-year plan that sets out the objectives and actions needed to promote the community and economic development of Leitrim.

The plan's objectives, outcomes and goals have all been developed through consultation with the general public and other key stakeholders, members were informed.

Goals for the plan included continuing to develop Leitrim as an inclusive, healthy and equitable county that supports well-being while other targets aimed at reducing poverty and enhancing public transport provision in relation to routes and schedules as well as increasing the population in line with expected targets for 2031.

Mr McGlinchey continued that rural decline is to be addressed through the The Town Centre First policy to reduce vacancy and dereliction in towns and villages in Leitrim and ensure there is adequate housing capacity in the county to meet demand. 

Another goal looks to reduce unemployment levels across the county and increase the number of those at work by at least 1000 people. 

In terms of education, the plan looks at ways to increase the number of people obtaining further and higher level qualifications in the county and noted that Leitrim College of Further Education is "something in the pipeline at the moment".

Cllr Thomas Mulligan proposed the plan while Cllr Sean McGowan seconded it. 

Cllr Finola Armstrong-McGuire welcomed the plan, adding that she was "delighted to see evidence of public participation and our participation" with Cllr Sean McGowan describing it as a "very positive step".

Cllr Des Guckian said the plan was "full of aspirations and very vague indeed" and criticised several aspects of the proposal including references to goals aimed at "revitalising town centres", "sustainable agriculture" and "developing a new tourism industry". 

In response to Cllr Guckian's remarks relating to what he described as the "flawed County Development Plan", Mr Bernard Greene, Senior Planner, responded that this was  "Cllr Guckian's own view and not a view shared by either the executive or the majority of members nor of the office of the Planning Regulator". 

He said the LECP is "consistent with the County Development Plan" in response to Cllr Guckian's criticism that the councillor "saw no reference to it" to the plan. 

Mr Greene took the opportunity to praise the work carried out by Mr McGlinchey as well as his own colleagues in the Council's Economic Development department in bringing the LECP to draft stage. 

Mr McGlinchey stressed that the plan is "designed to cover the whole community and county".