Ms Dorothy Clarke:

I do not agree there is more bureaucracy. In one sense, the LCDCs are taking over a role the Department would have had in the past, along with some of the role carried out by the Leader programmes. It is just a different way of delivering. There is always a lot of bureaucracy attached to EU programmes. This is an EU programme. The animation funding for capacity building exists, and the implementing partners, the local development companies on the ground, are operating that at present. It is available for them to operate on the ground at present.

On the timescale, the Leader programme is for the period 2014 to 2020. I refer to the structural funds, etc. Of course, it does not immediately happen in 2014 because, at national level, the various Departments have to liaise with the European Union. That has taken quite a while to come into play. It is only now, I suppose, that all the moneys for plans at national level approved for the last year have been spent under the local development strategies. I refer to the plans for the distribution of Leader funding. They have now been approved by the Department for the period from 2017 onwards.

Expressions of interest have been requested at local level by most, if not all, the local action groups. They are coming in. I would imagine that, early in 2017, groups will be able to apply if their project is ready on the ground and meets the Leader criteria. If there is a capital element to the project, it will take longer before money can be drawn down. Depending on the project, if everything is completed and the criteria are met, the moneys can be claimed, be it in a month, two months or another period. I would imagine that this should be happening from quarter 1 or quarter 2 of 2017 but it will depend on the project.