Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is huge angst over the LEADER programme going forward. Notwithstanding the increase in Exchequer funding for the overall CAP 2023-27, there is a significant cut in LEADER funding for rural areas, with the proposed allocation for the programme falling from €425 million for the 2007-13 programme to just €180 million for this programme. This is astonishing.

The co-funding element of 56.72% falls well short of the 80% permissible under the EU regulation. This reduction in funding will have a huge impact on rural projects, tourism projects and commercial projects across my county of Tipperary and every other county. LEADER has been bottoms-up one of the best programmes ever introduced. I think the then Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, introduced it. Many great projects have been supported, many volunteers have been on the boards and many volunteers in the community have got it going. Now they have been shot in the face like this. It is disastrous.

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