Cork North West to Benefit from Social Farming Projects

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD has announced that he had extended four contracts supporting social farming model projects for 2025/26. Funding is being provided under the Rural Innovation and Development Fund to the following projects:

1. Down Syndrome Irl (Cork Branch)

2. South Kerry Development Partnership

3. IRD Duhallow

4. Leitrim Integrated Development Company CLG

The Minister also announced Leitrim Integrated Development Company CLG as the successful tenderer under the 2025 Social Farming Network competitive tendering process.

Cork North West Fine Gael TD John Paul O’Shea said “Social farming is an exciting and successful venture that benefits individuals, families and wider society. It is the practice of offering, on a voluntary basis, farming and horticultural participation in an appropriate environment to people who avail of a range of therapeutic day support services. These operations are run in several settings ranging from working family farms and local community initiatives through to more institutional frameworks.

Minister Heydon said “The majority of participants are users of disability and mental health services. Through the great work of the Network, however, participants have also been sourced from other sectors such as at-risk youth programs, homelessness services, educational programs, eldercare services and others. Leitrim Integrated Development Company CLG are experienced service providers who have the capability and vision to develop and implement a tailored work programme in support of social farming at national level.”

Funding of €900,000 is being made available for 2025 to fund the provision of supports for a National Social Farming Network.