Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and I accept fully the importance of the LEADER programme in respect of regional economic development. Since 1991, I have been a great advocate for it and it has played a huge role in the development and enhancement of rural areas, particularly through rural economies and entrepreneurship. With co-financing from the European Union, LEADER has created thousands of projects throughout Ireland, along with job creation, community development and environmental projects. It is funded under Pillar 2 of the Common Agricultural Policy and the European agricultural fund for rural development. On 28 June, European Union agriculture ministers accepted the provisional agreement reached between the Portuguese Presidency and the European Parliament on the CAP post-2020 legislative proposals. These will cover the period 2023 to 2027. A transitional arrangement agreed in 2020 will continue to apply for 2021 and 2022.

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, in line with the programme for Government, announced details of allocations of approximately €70 million transitional LEADER programme funding for the period covering 2021 and 2022. This came into effect from April of this year. Of the €70 million announced, €20 million is funded by the European Union recovery instrument funding, which is Next Generation EU funding. Of this €70 million, €65 million will be made available to local action groups for the delivery of the transitional LEADER programme and 75% of the funding is being allocated to new project activity, with the remaining 25% for administration and other costs. A further €3 million of the funding is being allocated to support co-operation projects and innovation between local action groups. The remaining €2 million is being provided to support strategy development for the next LEADER programme.

Project activity has already commenced and 68 core projects to a value of €2.8 million have been approved so far. A further 22 co-operation projects, with a value of in excess of €1.8 million, have also been approved. There will be an increase in the maximum rate of aid each local action group may award to private enterprises, community projects with a commercial basis and social enterprises from 50% to 75% for the duration of the transitional programme. Increasing the rate of aid, which was effective from 1 April 2021, will help stimulate rural economies and sustain jobs in rural areas, particularly in a post-Covid recovery scenario.

The final call for applications under the €15 million LEADER food initiative has been announced. This is for €5 million and it is available for investment aimed at assisting artisan, micro and small food businesses to respond to challenges posed by Brexit. I will speak to the Minister about the Deputy's request for additional funding for 2022.

With regard to the cessation of TAPS, I have dealt with it previously. There are facilities and there will be support for any outbreak that happens in a nursing home over the coming period. An outbreak assistance payment will continue to be made available to the end of the year.

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