Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

As the Deputy knows, my Department is responsible for the existing LEADER programme which is part of Ireland’s CAP strategic plan covering 2023 to 2027. It is co-funded by the EU and the Exchequer. The LEADER programme is administered by local action groups on behalf of my Department and has been at the heart of rural development in Ireland for over 30 years. It plays a vital role in supporting local projects to bring renewed life, jobs and services to our rural communities, including those in County Galway.

As Deputy O'Hara is aware, €180 million of funding has been committed to the 2023 to 2027 LEADER programme. LEADER funding is allocated to local action groups at the beginning of each LEADER programme to provide them with greater flexibility in selecting and approving projects which will have a meaningful impact. Since 2021, County Galway received a LEADER allocation of €12.6 million, comprising €3.6 million for the 2021 and 2022 transition period and €9 million for the current programming period of 2023 to 2027. Projects continue to be approved under Galway's €9 million allocation, with projects to the value of €1.66 million being approved to date. There are no plans to increase the allocation under the current programme but I look forward to seeing the outcomes of the current programme emerge in the coming months and years. I anticipate that we will see a big increase in expenditure over 2026 but especially in 2027 and 2028. We are also working hard with the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, and the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, to ensure that there will be LEADER funding in the next multi-annual financial framework, MFF, and that we will have access to co-funding from the EU. I join Deputy O'Hara in paying tribute to Galway Rural Development which is a fantastic exemplar of a local development company, not just in LEADER but in all of the work it does. I had the pleasure of meeting members of the organisation on a number of occasions in relation to Tús, RSS and the CE programme and of joining them in Mountbellew when they hosted an international event, Shearfest, in June.

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