Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister will be aware that the Irish Local Development Network, ILDN, has put forward proposals on what has been announced on LEADER. It is seeking a budget of €389 million for the LEADER programme. It is coming at this issue based on the commitments that were made in Our Rural Future. I do not think it is good enough that we should stand still. I appreciate the Minister's point that by adding the transitional fund period to the period from 2023 to 2027, we will reaching that €250 million figure, similar to the 2014-2020 level. However, it is a much reduced budget from the level reached from 2007 to 2013. For instance, my native county of Roscommon got over €11 million in the CAP period from 2007 to 2013. Looking at the indicative budget for the period from 2023 to 2027, it is looking at €6 million. The budget announced from the CAP is much less for that period if you take the transitional period out of the scenario. That will have an impact on counties such as Roscommon and Galway in particular.

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