Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

4. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding the roll-out of the Leader programme in west Cork; the reason the West Cork Development Partnership, which has successfully delivered Leader funding over the past 20 years, is not allowed to roll out the new programme; the person or bodies involved in deciding this; the person or bodies involved in the appeals process; and the person or bodies that will now be involved in the Leader programme in west Cork. [31334/16]

Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I ask the Minister with responsibility for rural affairs the position regarding the roll-out of the Leader programme in west Cork; the reason the West Cork Development Partnership, which has successfully delivered the Leader funding for more than 20 years, is not now allowed to roll out the new programme; the person or bodies involved in dealing with that; the person or bodies involved in the appeals process; and the person or bodies who will now be delivering the Leader programme in west Cork. This is an astonishing set of events in west Cork. Most people believe it is the best kept secret, and it needs to be discussed openly.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I want to be very clear. There are no secrets in this regard. In 2015, expressions of interest were sought by the then Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government from groups that wished to develop a local development strategy for the delivery of Leader in each of the 28 designated sub-regional areas of the country. The process was open to any group that wished to develop a local development strategy and be considered as a local action group, LAG, in its particular area.

Applicants successful at this stage of the process were provided with funding and a comprehensive template to assist with developing their local development strategies. In a number of sub-regional areas, including west Cork, expressions of interest and subsequent local development strategies were submitted by more than one interested party.

An independent selection committee, chaired by Dr. Tommy Cooke, professor emeritus, Dublin Institute of Technology, was established for the purposes of selecting Leader local development strategies in each sub-regional area. The committee included representatives from my Department, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Limerick Institute of Technology, Teagasc, Enterprise Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. There was no ministerial role or input into any of the decisions made by the committee.

Local development strategies for the implementation of Leader in west Cork were submitted by West Cork Development Partnership and by West Cork Local Community Development Committee, LCDC. The strategy submitted by West Cork LCDC was selected by the independent selection committee following a detailed assessment of both submissions.

This decision was appealed by West Cork Development Partnership and reviewed by an independent third party, Mr Chris O’Toole. He concluded in September last that the agreed procedures had been followed by the selection committee and that the appraisal and scoring criteria were also correctly followed. As a result, the original decision of the selection committee remained unchanged. West Cork Development Partnership was advised of the outcome on 22 September 2016.

Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her reply. First, I referred to a secret because if this was an open and transparent process, why is the EU now investigating this process? That is a very serious issue. I read in the Southern Starand in The Irish Times, which I presume are reputable newspapers, that there is an EU investigation into this decision. Second, the West Cork Development Partnership was the highest in terms of strategy in the previous Leader programme. It is incredible to think that someone who has not laid out a programme is now deemed to be even better than it. How is that possible?

I would like the Minister to answer both those questions because the people of Cork South-West, who suffered a great deal under the previous Government, require clarity on the matter. They continue to suffer under this Government when, astonishingly, they learn that their Leader company, which had delivered for them at the doorstep, has been told that it can no longer deliver a programme when it has done that for the past 25 years. Does the Minister believe there is a reason to investigate that matter, and will that delay the funding? What will happen in that regard?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am aware that West Cork Development Company has brought a complaint to the European Commission regarding an alleged breach of state aid rules in Cork. I understand the Commission has not yet decided to launch a formal investigation. However, the Commission has written to my Department requesting additional information on this matter, and my Department will assist the Commission in obtaining any information or clarification required.

Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

That does not clarify whether that process will delay the roll-out of a programme in west Cork. Why is the EU looking into this matter in the first place? It would not look into it if the process was carried out properly. As I said, west Cork has been hit in recent years. We have lost our social welfare offices, Garda stations, banks and post offices. The one light in a very dark tunnel was our Leader programme, and that has been taken from us. I do not begrudge east Galway but will the Minister detail her plans for east Galway because a new process has been put in place by the Department and we need to find out if that process can be rolled out in west Cork also?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Leader programme for 2014-20 will now be delivered in the west Cork sub-regional area by West Cork LCDC in conjunction with its implementing partners, Avondhu Blackwater Partnership CLG, Comhar na nOileán Teoranta and South and East Cork Area Development Partnership Limited. A funding agreement has issued to West Cork LCDC and I expect that Leader funding will commence in west Cork from 1 November. The most important thing is that the funding goes into the communities and that the projects that need it get the funding. When this function was transferred into my Department I was very keen to get the contracts signed as quickly as possible, to get the money out to the communities which need it.

A complaint has been made and it is incumbent on the European Commission to look into any complaints it receives, as I would do in the same circumstances. I imagine that is why it is looking into the issue.

Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I asked for clarity on the situation in east Galway.