Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Twenty-nine of these were implemented by the LAGs. What I have to do is ensure that this is working. I have met and talked to the national organisation. It now tells me that this programme is working better. I will give some examples. I will give the figures as of 30 April this year. The number of projects approved up to 2017 was 592 with a value of €16.412 million. Up to today, 929 projects to the value of €26.908 million have been approved. In the Deputy's own country where figures have improved since I gave him the figures at a meeting of the committee last week, the number of projects awaiting approval was 14 with a value of €831,000 so someone is drawing it down. A total of 15 schemes have been approved to the value of €224,000. The programme is now ramping up. There is no doubt about it. Let us be honest and fair. When these people make an application, if they are putting up a building or any kind of job they are doing, be it a public or community building, hall or sporting organisation, they must put the building in place. We will not pay them until the building is finished. We will not prepay them so they must wait for the money to be drawn down. The projects are being approved, the scheme is beginning to ramp up and I am confident the Leader programme is now beginning to work with the changes we made as a Government and Department.

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