Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Funding of €314 million is available under the rural development programme 2007-13 for allocation to qualifying projects up to the end of 2013. There are 35 local action groups, LAGs, contracted on my Department’s behalf to deliver the rural development programme throughout the country and these groups are the principal decision-makers on the allocation of project funding. Such decisions are made in the context of the local development strategy of the individual groups and in line with departmental operating rules and EU regulations.

Projects that request funding of €150,000 or more are required to seek final approval from my Department. The assessment of these higher value projects usually involves detailed consultations between my Department and the relevant local development company. It frequently necessitates the provision of further documentation or clarifications. It may also, in some instances, result in modifications to the project proposed to ensure best value for money and compliance with all the necessary regulations, both national and European, governing the activities funded under the programme.

The policy in my Department is to work with the local development companies to ensure the projects submitted are fully compliant and can be approved rather than to refuse approval for funding. It can, therefore, take some time to come to a final conclusion. My Department will continue to work with the relevant LAGs to make a full assessment of the eligibility of these projects and will advise the LAGs once all queries have been addressed satisfactorily. My Department has 42 projects at various stages of assessment and I propose to circulate a table in respect of these in the Official Report. Some 36 of the projects in hand have been received in the period since October 2012, including 21 since the start of the year.

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