Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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12. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to streamline the administration of the LEADER programme nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46122/18]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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We have been discussing the need to minimise bureaucracy. I understand that in the past, the relevant LEADER company and the Department were the only two agencies involved in the processing and approval of LEADER projects, whereas local action groups, local community development committees, Pobal and the Department are involved at the moment. Rather than involving more agencies, we should be trying to minimise the number of agencies involved in the administration, processing and approval of projects.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The LEADER programme is driven by a bottom-up approach. Decisions on projects are taken at a local level by local action groups which have been approved to administer the programme. The Department of Rural and Community Development engages with the local action groups on a regular basis with regard to every aspect of the programme. As part of this engagement, a LEADER forum was held with the local action groups in May 2017. As a consequence of this, I have introduced 31 actions over the last year or so to streamline the administration of the LEADER programme. These actions cover nearly every aspect of LEADER delivery. For example, there has been a 55% reduction in the level of paperwork to be submitted by local action groups as part of their monthly administration returns. This gives local action group staff more time to engage with potential applicants. A standardised application form has been introduced to assist in streamlining the process. Procurement arrangements have been revised and clarified. Contrary to recent misleading comments in the media, as a result of the 31 improvements which have been introduced, the local action groups are no longer required to provide a written record of having received a verbal quote for procuring items costing less than €100. The result of the 31 improvements is clear to see. The number of projects and the level of approved funding has increased dramatically this year. Some 1,450 projects have been approved for funding of €46 million. The level of funding approved to date this year is €30 million, which is almost twice the €16 million approved for projects in all of 2017. Notwithstanding the progress that has been made, I am always looking for new ways to improve the programme. I will continue to keep the programme under review in 2019.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his response. I remember listening to public commentary from some of the people involved in administering the programmes. They spoke about the lack of consistency nationally. There are variations in the administration of schemes throughout the country. I recently heard that Article 48 checks are being taken from Pobal and given to the local authorities. The details of this might not be in the Minister's brief. He can come back to me on this matter if necessary. I listened to people on a radio programme who are involved in the LEADER programme. They said that there is no need to move this responsibility from Pobal, which has the requisite expertise at this stage, to each local authority. I understand that the local authorities are not looking for this responsibility and do not desire to have it. I do not think they have the expertise that is needed at the moment. If the Minister's brief does not cover this aspect of the matter, which has been raised with me, he might revert to me on it.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I met representatives of LEADER companies recently. My officials meet them on a regular basis. We are prepared to iron out any difficulties they might have. I understand they are fairly satisfied with the procedures that are in place. They are fairly satisfied that the changes we have made have streamlined the LEADER programme. As a former Minister, Deputy Smith will be aware that checks are required when taxpayers' money is being spent. We are accountable to the taxpayers of this country and to European taxpayers. These schemes are subject to spot checks from Europe. The way the LEADER programme has started to expand since we made these changes, with more than 1,400 applications being approved, shows that we are getting the balance right. If these companies have any outstanding issues, they can raise them with me and my officials when we meet them on a regular basis. After we met them in May of last year, we made the changes they required. I am accountable to this House and to Europe in relation to taxpayers' money. I have to make sure there is a balance when applications are made. While there must not be too much bureaucracy, these schemes have to be run properly. If problems emerge on foot of a query or an audit from Europe, the taxpayers of this country will have to pick up the tab.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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All of us share the Minister's view that public money has to be put to proper use to maximise the benefit for the people on behalf of whom we work. I know that some communities which were thinking of submitting applications under this programme, and had done some preparatory work to that end, were discouraged by the required level of what they regarded as bureaucracy. The Minister and the Department need to transmit the message that as a result of the streamlining of the requirements, the hurdles that have to be crossed are not as demanding as they were initially. We want to ensure good community groups are encouraged to apply. We want the money to be put to the best possible use. As I have said to the Minister, our rural communities have benefitted from the LEADER programme for decades now. My constituency was fortunate enough to have one of the first pilot projects in the country in 1991. We want to see engagement from as many community groups as possible. We want to ensure the maximum drawdown of funding. We need to send out a message that as a result of the streamlining I have mentioned, this programme is not as bureaucratic as it was in the past.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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That is right.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister's commitment that he is willing to introduce further improvements if they are necessary.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy and I want the money allocated by the Department to rural communities under the LEADER programme to be spent. It is in the interests of every Deputy in this House for these funds to be spent in rural areas. The Deputy is quite correct when he says that a balance is needed. Although the application process has been streamlined, there continues to be a need to ensure taxpayers' money is properly spent. The Deputy pointed to that need in his remarks. We are all accountable for ensuring money is spent where it should be spent. I am satisfied that the LEADER programme is beginning to work. I will ask my officials and the LEADER companies to get back in contact with groups with which they have previously been in consultation to ascertain whether they have found any difficulties with the application process. I want the programme to work. I want the money to be spent. I want the LEADER companies to do their jobs. I believe that is happening now. If there are any difficulties, I am prepared to look at them. I want the LEADER programme to be a success. I want to see funding. I want to see the projects up and running and completed.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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We will move on to Question No. 20 because the next available Deputy is Deputy Ó Cuív.