Ms Bairbre Nic Aongusa:

This transitional programme is now in place. This was the priority. It is now moving on to look at the design of the new LEADER programme. The issues that will affect the design of the new LEADER programme will be the provisions of the EU regulations governing the structure of the future action groups, a review of the 2014 to 2020 programme, which is under way, and the outcome of consultations with all stakeholders. These three elements - the EU regulations, the outcome of the review and the outcome of consultations - will feed into a decision to be taken. The experience of managing the 2014-20 programme will have an impact on the decisions. Discussions are still ongoing at Brussels level on the EU regulations. There is no clarity on them yet. What I can say to the Deputy is that the Department is very alive to the issue of LEADER for the islands, and it is under active consideration.