Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is amazing that €19 million has been spent on administration of the LEADER programme while project expenditure only amounts to €6 million. The total programme to date has a spend of €27 million. We made 31 changes to simplify the programme and we must comply with European Union regulation and rules. We looked at the schemes and the programme, including ways to make it easier for people to make applications. It should be remembered there are supplementary schemes as well, including the town and village scheme and those relating to outdoor recreation and rural regeneration. There are many other schemes where people can now make an application. I have been told by some people working in LEADER programmes that groups intended making an application but did not do so because they got funding elsewhere. As the Deputy knows, one cannot draw down from two programmes in such cases. I am monitoring the LEADER programme but I cannot do much more in the running of the scheme. I have simplified the process and made it easier. There were 31 changes to the LEADER programme. There is spending on the administration side. The projects must be approved so that funding can be drawn down as quickly as possible. At that stage, I can review the process and if LEADER programmes are not drawing down funding, I can see if the money should be redirected to other companies that are spending the money.

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