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

The Commission is talking specifically about CAP. We have all the other schemes the Government is putting money into to support rural Ireland, which is what the Commission wants to see also. It wants to see the governments are putting investment in.

We have the rural regeneration and development fund, from which the sum of €347 million has been allocated to 164 projects since 2018. The town and village renewal scheme has been allocated €93 million since 2016. The outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme has been allocated €87 million since 2016, with more than 1,200 projects supported. Almost 1,800 projects have been supported by CLÁR with €45 million. More than 12,000 projects have been supported under the community enhancement programme since 2018.

Nobody has run out of money yet. I have seen this a few times in the past. People get very nervous when it comes to the end of a programme. I put transition funds in place this time in order that staff could be retained and projects could continue to be funded. Some LEADER companies are doing very well in terms of their spend and others are not doing as well. I have never been found wanting when it comes to funding for LEADER.

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