Íoslódáil - Plean Aitiuil Geilleagrach agus Pobail Chill Chainnigh 2023 - 2028.pdf (size 11.7 MB)

Download - Kilkenny Local Economic and Community Plan 2023 - 2028.pdf (size 36.4 MB)

Introduction

‘It is our ambition that every resident, community, visitor, employee and employer in Kilkenny is helped by this LECP to realise their potential and to make their best contribution to enable a positive future for our County over its lifetime and beyond.’

Purpose

The purpose of the LECP, as provided for in the Local Government Reform Act 2014, is to set out, for a six-year period, the objectives and actions needed to promote and support the economic development and the local and community development of Kilkenny, both by itself directly and in partnership with other economic and community development stakeholders.

It is inevitable that over the lifetime of the new LECP we will face a range of new challenges and opportunities. Whilst many of these have yet to present themselves, we do know that we have a responsibility to ensure that the new LECP helps us to take every opportunity to build resilience within our communities, businesses and our workers.

It is also apparent, in the context of national and international agreements and commitments, that this LECP will be required to play its part in addressing the intergenerational
challenges associated with climate change. It is our ambition that every resident, community, visitor, employee and employer in Kilkenny is helped by this LECP to realise their potential and to make their best contribution to enable a positive future for our County over its lifetime and beyond.

A Plan built through engagement

This LECP builds on our previous document, the 2016-2021 LECP. In embarking on this new Plan we took the opportunity to reflect on what we have achieved but recognised that whilst we have made demonstrable progress, the aspirations captured in the Vision and Goals of the previous plan continue to represent a work in progress.

This LECP has been required to adhere to the 2021 National Guidelines1. Figure 1.1 sets out in diagrammatic form the process that we have followed in the development of this LECP.

Engagement has been integral to the Plan’s development. In accordance with Stages 1 and 2 of the above process the Council prepared and consulted upon a Socio-Economic Statement during summer 2022. The consultation approach and the outcomes are described in full in the appended Kilkenny Socio-Economic Statement – Consultation Report.

In summary, the consultation coalesced around a baseline survey (open for five weeks from 26 August to 30 September 2022), an in-person workshop and five virtual workshops with the public and key stakeholder groups.

The outcome of this engagement process was an agreement around the High Level Goals and related Objectives that provide the framework for this LECP.

The establishment of high-level outcomes and prioritised actions within the Implementation Plan (Stages 3 and 4 of the process) involved contributions from stakeholders across Kilkenny, via one-to-one engagements, who will play a leading role in realising the ambitions of our LECP.

Figure 1.1: LECP Development Stages
Source: LECP Guidelines, 2021