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

The provision of €102.44 million for community and rural development in budget 2014 reflects the Government’s commitment to the sector notwithstanding the very difficult choices which have had to be made over a number of years to address our economic crisis and place Ireland firmly on the road to economic recovery. I am acutely aware of the great work being done in communities and the need to continue local development initiatives to the greatest extent possible. I have prioritised the Local and Community Development Programme. The 2014 provision of €47.7 million, just €1 million less than this year’s allocation, will allow some 14,000 people who are distanced from the labour market to receive direct one-to-one labour market training and supports.

There are unavoidable reductions to a number of specific budget lines within the community Vote, and these reflect a range of considerations, including the scale of spending in previous years, the maturity of particular programmes and the balance required to meet EU co-funding needs. For example, there will be reductions of between 5% and 7% to the RAPID and Supports for Community and Voluntary Sector allocations for 2014.  The Interreg programme will be reduced by 8%. The Programme for Peace and Reconciliation will have reduced current funding but its capital funding will be increased by 27%.  I am satisfied that these allocations will fully meet 2014 commitments.

Leader is a multi-annual programme which has regularly underspent its annual allocations since it began in 2009. My Department has therefore been in a position to carry over significant amounts of unspent funding into the following year to meet upcoming commitments. Although Leader spending has increased each year since 2009, this will also be the case in the current year. I expect that in the order of €50 million will become available to carry forward into 2014 to fund Leader projects. Final decisions will be made in the wider context of the Department’s overall capital allocation and will be published in the revised Estimates later in the year, which will further underpin my commitment to these important programmes.

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