Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of submissions received under the Leader programme of 2014 to 2020 to date; the number of these that relate to local areas that are expected to have only one single strategy submitted for them, the number of Leader plans that have been evaluated and approved to date, the number of areas where it is expected that only one strategy will be submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44254/15]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister of State is aware I have been asking regularly about progress on the roll-out of the Leader programme. As it is now the end of the year, I am anxious to get an update on the number of final plans the Department has received, when Leader programmes are likely to begin and how many such programmes the Minister of State hopes to be able to approve before Christmas and in the next few months. I seek to ascertain how matters are progressing with the roll-out of the Leader programme because as a five-year programme, unless it starts in the early part of next year, it will not be finished in 2020.

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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I accept the Deputy inquires regularly about the Leader programme. As he is aware, the preparation and submission of local development strategies under the Leader elements of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 is under way in each of the 28 designated subregional areas. A minimum period of six months to the end of January 2016 has been allowed for the submission of strategies by all local action groups, with the majority expected to submit strategies within that timeframe. To date, six local development strategies have been received and these are being considered at present. Based on the expression of interest process, all these strategies relate to areas for which only one strategy is expected to be submitted. At this stage, my Department expects that a single strategy will be submitted in at least 22 of the 28 subregional areas.

The strategies, as they are submitted, are assessed by Pobal before being forwarded to the independent evaluation committee for final evaluation and decision. The independent committee met on 5 November 2015 to consider the first strategy received and identified a number of areas within the strategy where further information and analysis was required to bring it up to the required standard. A revised strategy has been received since and the independent evaluation committee will meet again on 17 December to consider this, together with another two of the strategies received.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Do I take it that one and possibly three strategies could get the green light by the end of this month? Could the Minister of State then be in a position to announce she had approved possibly three but probably at least one strategy? Is that then the end of the process and will the Minister of State be able to announce she has begun the actual roll-out and approval of strategies? At this point, does the Minister of State have an indication as to how many of the 28 areas are likely to have submitted a final strategy, either one or two strategies as the case may be, by the end of January and how many of them will achieve the deadline? Six out of 28 is a small proportion. Is the Minister of State expecting many strategies to be submitted between now and the end of January because many people are anxious to find this out, particularly with regard to their own area?

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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Yes, I expect the bulk of the strategies to be submitted in January. Just six local development strategies have been received for evaluation, three of which will be considered next week by the panel of experts in the independent selection committee. It is a requirement that these strategies be subject to robust assessment by the committee. I appreciate the Deputy understands the programme should only commence in an area in which the strategy has been deemed by the committee to reach the acceptable standard. Once the committee approves a strategy, a contract for programme delivery will be signed within one month and administration funding will be advanced to the local action group. It is expected that a number of areas will have Leader funding in the new year, with the rest of the strategies being approved on a rolling basis. I am aware the Deputy is anxious, as am I, to see communities getting their money in January and February 2016. However, I also must allow the independent committee to do its job in the way it sees fit.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, I fully accept the first onus is on the groups to put in a good strategy and to submit it in a timely manner. I have a question, allowing that in most areas, one strategy will be submitted and evaluated. If it is not up to standard, the Department will revert to the group, as has been done with the first strategy, it will point out its deficiencies and will ask for it to be brought up to standard, after which it will go back to the committee. Once it goes back to the independent committee and that committee approves it, am I correct in thinking the Minister of State will be ready to sign a contract?

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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Yes.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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In the case of those areas in which there will be more than one strategy or where more than one group can submit a strategy, what is the ultimate amount of time the second group might have? I refer to a scenario in which one group submitted a strategy whereas the other group held back. Can the latter group hold back indefinitely on submitting a strategy and for how long could it hold up the process before being informed it was out of time? This is a concern in those areas in which two strategies are being submitted, that is, the possibility of getting a long-drawn-out process that would leave them far behind the rest of the early starters.

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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A long-drawn-out process is not desirable at all. I believe what will happen is that once strategies are approved and once the areas see that money is coming down to the communities, the other strategies will come in very quickly on the back of approval of contracts.