Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the mná tí in the Gaeltacht areas. I know my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Senator Kyne, has been talking to the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, to see if anything can be done. I will respond to Deputies Sherlock and Conway-Walsh about this. Deputy Conway-Walsh raised LEADER as well but she has the same problem in the Gaeltacht areas. The work of the mná tí has been a way of life for people in the Gaeltacht and people have made a living out of it. We want to assist them in that. I know the Minister of State, Senator Kyne, is looking at that matter. I am not saying he will get results but he is looking at it.

The matter of LEADER is simple. LEADER finishes in 2020.

The CAP negotiations will take place, but in the meantime a decision will have to be made. Funding will have to come from either Europe or central government to continue the LEADER programme. My officials are having discussions with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and with Europe to see what we can do about the new round of LEADER because it is a very important question. I have been talking for the past two years in my Department about trying to continue the LEADER programme. That is a matter for the next Government. Let the next Minister decide who will administer it and how it will be administered.

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