Irish Rural Link (IRL) is a national network of organisations and individuals campaigning for sustainable rural development in Ireland and Europe. The network provides a structure through which rural groups and individuals, representing disadvantaged rural communities, can articulate their common needs and priorities, share their experiences and present their case to policy-makers at local, national and European Levels. Central to Irish Rural Link’s current activities is the facilitation of communication and the solution of problems through networking and the sharing and adoption of best practices. 

Since early 2016, Irish Rural Link has been the lead partner in the delivery of the CAP Network Ireland (formerly National Rural Network) project on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.As lead partners in the CAP Network Ireland, IRL have worked closely with the 57 Irish   Operational Groups giving them an in-depth knowledge how to form operational groups and the delivery on their objectives. The previous experience of Irish Rural Link and its partners will allow them to hit the ground running when establishing the operational group and use standing relationships to maximize the project objectives.   

Located less in the midlands, the offices of Irish Rural Link in Moate, Co Westmeath will act as the project team headquarter. All contact details will refer to this as the contact point for all interested parties.  

IRL has recently diversified into more agricultural-related issues such as farm safety and rewetting of peatlands. IRL is the lead partner in the Farmers4Safety- Managing Risk Together and FarmPEAT EIP-Agri projects. IRL realise the importance of the “on the ground” approach, both projects use peer-to-peer mentoring as a key component of transfer knowledge and have a positive impact in the project catchments. IRL employs a public engagement officer as part of the FarmPEAT project, the officer has targeted school children as key drivers of change within the local community and delivered the Love Your Wellies arts competition as a method to engage them. In its first year, the competition engaged with over 1,000 schools and reached one million people with a limited budget and has continued to grow each year.

Irish Rural Link (IRL) will act as the Lead Contractor and provide the Project Director and Project Manager, financial controller, administration staff, communications officer, breeding wader officers and nest protection officers.   IRL has specific relevant experience in the delivery of large scale projects and distributing funding.  Central to its current activities is the facilitation of communication and the solution of problems through networking and the adoption of best practice 

The entire Project Team, headed by Owen Murphy, will be responsible for project direction, with Owen and Seamus Boland being the primary contact points for DAFM. IRL is specifically responsible for: 

• • Management and implementation of the project. This will include several duties but will involve, amongst others, overseeing relationships with the Department and amongst consortium members; oversight of day-to-day operations and ratification of all decisions by the Operational Group; resolution of all issues arising from the project and the consortium. 
  • Development of the strategy under which the consortium is constituted and operates as well as the approach taken under contracts which the consortium is engaged in. 
  • Lead the communication and public relations strategy components of this project. 
  • Liaising with the local community and farmers to raise awareness of the project in the area and general public.  
  • Liaise with the local schools and community about Breeding Wader and the project’s objectives.  
  • Facilitate meetings with participant farmers and other stakeholders.

Trading As: Irish Rural Link (Registration Number 4880R)