FLAG funding for local communities and micro enterprises

Fifty-six local community groups and micro enterprises have qualified for €1.2m in grant aid under the FLAG (Fisheries Local Action Groups) scheme.

Administered by BIM, the scheme supports the seafood sector and coastal communities, and many of the projects are non-commercial, securing up to 80% of the project cost.

“This is just one of the ways in which the department’s EMFF programme is making a real difference for our coastal communities,” remarked Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Background

The EMFF Operation Programme, co funded by the Exchequer and the EU) was launched in January 2014, providing €240m to the seafood sector (fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing) to 2020.

FLAG, Fisheries Local Area Action Group (2014 – 2020) is a coastal community development strategy with a fund of €12 million for 7 designated Irish coastal communities.

The 7 FLAGs are South FLAG (Cork), Southwest (Kerry, Limerick), South East (Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow) West, (Galway, Clare), Northwest (Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim), North (Donegal), and North East (Dublin, Louth, Meath).