Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. It is delivered through Local Action Groups (LAGs) across rural Ireland. The programme is based on a community-led approach to rural development and plays an important role in supporting communities and enterprises in progressing job creation, social inclusion and environmental projects at local level.

The process to select Local Actions Groups (LAGs) to deliver the 2023-2027 LEADER programme is nearing completion, with the selection complete in 27 of the 28 sub-regional areas to date. Once a Local Action Group is selected it can commence the delivery of the programme in their area.

In October 2022 I announced funding for the 2023 - 2027 LEADER programme of €180 million. This is in addition to the €70 million in funding allocated for the transitional period 2021 to 2022, maintaining the level of funding of €250 million provided for the 2014-2020 programming period. Information on the funding streams for the 2023-2027 LEADER Programme issued to prospective LAGs at that time also.

The funding streams or themes under which projects will be supported for the 2023-2027 period are:

• Economic Development and Job Creation
• Rural Infrastructure and Social Inclusion
• Sustainable Development of the Rural Environment and Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation.

The criteria to determine if a project may qualify for LEADER funding is outlined in the programme’s Operating Rules which has been provided to all Local Action Groups and their Implementing Partners and is also available on my Department’s website at gov.ie.

I look forward to seeing the new LEADER programme fully up and running and continuing to make real impacts in rural communities across Ireland.