Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. It is important to say first that there will be a transitional programme but there are many projects and therefore the LEADER companies will be very busy over the next year or year and a half in terms of finishing the projects. They have until the end of this year to make the further announcements. In terms of the figures, there are 3,500 projects approved to a value of €139 million. A further 341 projects are requesting more than €21 million in funding and they are at various stages in the approval process. There are more projects to be announced. They have until the end of the year to announce them. They have another year and a half to make sure these projects get the funding, to work with the promoters and to ensure they are delivered in terms of what they are trying to achieve on those projects. There is a good deal of work to be done by the LEADER companies in the next year and a half. In addition, I have committed to providing a transitional programme. I am working on those details and I will have the information in a short time. There is no particular panic at the moment because they have a fair bit on their plates. I am very conscious of the good work they do. In Wexford, their budget is €7.5 million. A total of 153 projects have been approved to date worth €5.9 million and more than €2.7 million is being paid out in respect of completed works. There is a good bit of work to be done so they will be kept busy.

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