Dáil debates

Tuesday, 12 March 2013

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions

Leader Programmes

2:45 pm

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister agrees with his Department's figures that point to a worst case scenario in which €100 million will have to be committed between now and the end of the year. Does he agree that he should allow approvals to proceed as normal? There is plenty of headroom there. If we hold up the Leader companies, we might be unable to draw down all the European funds under this programme. This could have a knock-on effect on the drawdown of funds under the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Does the Minister agree that it was wrong to stop these commitments? We are so far short of the full level of possible commitments that there is no danger of overspending on this programme. Does the Minister accept that not all of the approved projects will happen in reality? Backup projects need to be approved before the end of the year to take their place. Does the Minister agree that the actual spend to date - €82 million, which is a very low figure - is more than €200 million less than the total amount of money in the programme? In fact, the Minister has made a big mistake in this programme, as he has in many other areas.

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