Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman and the Deputies for the question on LEADER. I am sorry that I must leave a bit earlier than expected but, as members will know, there is a meeting of the Cabinet.

In terms of the LEADER programme, more than 3,400 projects were approved by the end of September that are worth €135 million. By the end of this year I expect the local action groups, LAGS, to have approved the full €169 million available for project funding. In 2019, the outturn was €45 million with an allocation of €40 million for 2020. Activity on LEADER continued throughout the Covid-19 crisis and there is a spend of €32 million to the end of September. I expect that the outturn may again hit €45 million. I will deal with extra demand placed on the fund from savings under the rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, programme. Some projects, under the RRDF programme, have been delayed most likely due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Almost €100 million in project payments will remain to be made over the 2021 to 2023 period. The project approvals under the current LEADER programme will finish at the end of this year. The next programme will not commence until January 2022 at the earliest, due to delays in agreeing the overall EU budget. However, project funding under the current programme will continue.

While the final announcements will be at the end of this year, it will take some time for the funding to be drawn down and the different projects to be delivered. The staff in the LEADER companies will work with the promoters of these projects to ensure they are delivered.

The transitional regulations are still under negotiation but I am aware of the need to ensure smooth transition between programmes. When I had the honour of being in this office previously, we had the exact same transition programme. I accept there is uncertainty among the staff in the LEADER companies wondering whether they will have a job.

The Chairman is correct that it is important that the LEADER companies and their staff be fully utilised. I expect they will be in finishing off this programme. I am expanding the local employment services in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. I hope LEADER companies will take the opportunity to deliver some of those programmes. The Deputy referred to restart grants and trading online vouchers. The local enterprise offices, LEOs, have been doing amazing work across the country. They have additional resources. Businesses should go to their LEO if they are wondering what they should do about Brexit or Covid supports. They will certainly give them the help they might need.

The LEADER staff will be quite busy rolling out remaining programmes. I secured an additional €4 million in the budget for the LEADER budget. The total allocation for next year will be €44 million.