Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I need to keep the schemes moving. As the Deputy knows, officials do not like us spending money in advance as at some stage, it will catch up with us, like it did with LEADER. The RRDF is fantastic but it takes time. We need a year or two of allocations so it can level out. I am very proud of the way the Department has worked. There was a scheme last September that was closed in August and in the next two to three weeks, I will announce the successful applications. It will be open again early in the new year for a second round. There will be €1 billion over ten years and the money is there. Next year there will be an increase in the budget for the RRDF. As the years go on, there will be a bigger drawdown.

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