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

The total amount of funding available under the Leader programme is €375 million, which leaves more than €100 million that has not been spent. At the rate at which the funds are being spent, there appears to be a significant risk that the allocation will not be spent in full. Will the Minister outline the steps he proposes to take to ensure it is spent in full? Under the arrangements the Minister introduced for the Leader programme 2014 to 2020, it seems possible that in one area one company could operate the rural social scheme and Tús, a second company could deliver the child care assistance programme, CCAP, and a third company would deliver the Leader programme. Could one have a scenario in which three companies with three separate headquarters deliver three different programmes in one area? The delivery of programmes was rationalised under previous Governments.

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