Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 26 April 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development

Engagement with EU Commissioner Mr. Phil Hogan

2:00 pm

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am sure he was. I will leave agricultural issues to my colleagues because I am here in my role as a member of the rural development committee. What is the intention as regards the percentage of the rural development envelope that will go to rural development outside the farm gate? Is it intended to continue with the Leader programme as the main vehicle for the expenditure of that money? Although €200 million is welcome, it works out at €1 million per county per annum and it is very small in the context of all the development we see around the place. Is it the Commissioner's intention to make sure it is much simpler, and that the Government has a much simpler system than it has at the moment to develop Leader funding on the ground? Perhaps Mr. Hogan could reverse some of the complications that came in during his tenure of office now that he is the Commissioner. He could simplify it and streamline it.

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