Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I ask that the Leader invite the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, to the House to set out an update on the roll-out of the Leader programme for County Mayo and nationwide. From 2014 to 2020, the programme will fund vital initiatives in and revitalise rural Ireland.In Mayo alone, €11 million has been allocated over this period. However, notwithstanding the fact the programme has been live in Mayo for the past eight months, no applications have yet been approved and no funding has been allocated. This is much to the frustration of members of the local community development committees, LCDCs, and applicants on the ground. I have received complaints that the EU's Article 48 checks, as interpreted by Pobal, are overly bureaucratic and make it too difficult for applicants to get a grant. We know Pobal was brought into this new Leader programme in order to operate checks and balances where substantial sums of money are being given out, taxpayers' money in this case. However, it seems Pobal comes back again and again seeking information, sometimes additional information it had never sought in the first place.

It seems the delivery of Leader is going nowhere fast. It has also been suggested to me that, by the time applications are processed, there could be an administration cost running at 60%, which sounds excessive. While I think Leader is a great idea, it is very important we see action on the ground. I believe there are sufficient questions to require the Minister to attend the House. In advance of that, the Leader, Senator Buttimer, might explain the issues and concerns to her so we might get some answers.