Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister for her comprehensive reply. Would it be possible to get a breakdown of the spend in each company in the Leader programme between administration and activities such as grants sanctioned to third parties and the actual spend to date? Perhaps the Minister could organise for it to be sent to us. I am concerned that we have still approved only €102 million out of €425 million. No doubt the Minister will expedite that issue.

Is it intended to transfer ministerial responsibility for the Leader partnership companies, including the Leader programme to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government? Does that presage that from 2014 on the Leader programme will be the responsibility of local authorities rather than the current independent companies? Will the Minister clarify the issue? Is that the two-step plan involved? Many people would consider that to be the wrong direction to take.

On the food issue, given that consultation with the European Union could go on for a long time and that it could be reluctant to change an existing ruling, surely the easy answer to the question is to get the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to put money aside now under Axis 1 for food companies? Has the Minister discussed the matter with her colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Coveney, and has he given an affirmative answer that food will be funded under Axis 1 immediately? That would get around the possibility of protracted negotiations with the European Union that might go on for ever and reach a negative conclusion at the end of the process. People who can create jobs are waiting for the money now not in the future.

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