John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)

I wish to continue on the issue that Deputy Guirke and Senator Rabbitte mentioned on LEADER funding and the challenges posed there for local development, local authorities and local community development committees, LCDCs. It is stark to see that while there are two reports - one from 2022 and a previous report - it is still saying that in some areas the evidence remains limited to its benefits outweighing the costs of the works. That is a real challenge for communities in particular. We have a lot of people, such as Government Departments, applying for the RRF programme. We have local authorities with fully qualified staff applying for EU transitional programmes or transnational programmes. However, we then have a community group that has limited expertise in European funding trying to navigate an application process.

I am 15 years in public life, including local level and now one year in the Oireachtas. It seems to be getting more and more challenging. There is a turn-off. People are saying that they rather apply for the national funds that are available here through the community centre investment fund than apply to the local LEADER company for that. Despite having two reports, is there any light at the end of tunnel that the community-led approach is being listened to in Europe and there is going to be a simplification of that?