Rural communities across Mayo are set to benefit from a 500,000 euro boost as the county has qualified for funding under the Rural Alliances Programme.

Mayo Rural Alliances is to benefit from a half a million euro from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) over the next three years. 10 million euro in total is to be shared across 6 countries.

Details of the programme were officially announced yesterday at Lough Lannagh in Castlebar by the Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan.

Mayo and Kerry are the only two Irish counties to qualify for the funding, and the programme will be co-ordinated by Mayo county Council, primarily by the county Development board.

The programme is about developing alliances between rural communities and local enterprise, in an effort to ensure sustainable development and vibrancy in rural regions.

John Magee of Mayo’s county Development Board is part of the Mayo Rural Alliances programme and he told Midwest News today that the funding will be used to develop new ideas like the Great Western Greenway that runs from Westport through to Achill and involves rural communities and local enterprises working together To provide a product that is of great financial benefit to the local economy.