Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The current LEADER programme has been mismanaged by the Government from the outset as there was much confusion over how it was to be administered and structured. As a result, there were two years of limbo with no funding given out. Only belatedly did the Government agree the structures and allow the LEADER companies to get on with work. As I indicated previously, the Government commits in its programme for Government to increasing those funds. Today, within a programme that was supposed to run from 2014 to 2020, only €27 million has been allocated at this stage, as the Minister stated. That is from a total of €250 million and despite the fact we are past the halfway mark.

I can assure the Minister that Donegal will ensure the money is well spent if further funds are directed towards it. I ask the Minister to look at his overall envelope to ensure additional funding can be allocated to the county. Unfortunately, the Minister has indicated that as it stands, he does not have any intention of increasing that overall amount.

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