Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach and the two Senators for their good wishes. I look forward to working with them. This will not be a simple job but, at the same time, I have a role and a part to play. I have a seat at Cabinet, and whatever I can do for rural Ireland I will be there to do it. The first problem I inherited when I took over this job was this issue. I will read out the official response but then I wish to make a few further comments.

The Leader programme is a key part of the Government's Action Plan for Rural Development and has the capacity to deliver significant outcomes for rural areas. Leader funding is managed and delivered by local action groups in each of the 28 Leader subregional areas around the country. The Leader programme funds projects under policy themes related to economic development, enterprise development, social inclusion and the rural environment. In total, €250 million will be invested in Leader over the period up to 2020, and one of my priorities in my new position will be to ensure that this funding is delivered to the rural communities and businesses that need it. The programme is co-financed by the European Union to the value of €157 million and is subject to EU regulatory provisions governing rural development funding. It is important, therefore, that appropriate checks and balances are in place to ensure that the funding is delivered correctly.

In light of a number of serious issues that arose in the delivery of the previous Leader programme, my Department has made some administrative changes to the programme to safeguard the public funding invested through Leader. These changes will ensure Ireland's continued sanction by the European Union to deliver the Leader programme. At the same time, the Government wants to see the Leader programme implemented as efficiently and effectively as possible, and I am aware of concerns regarding some of the administrative procedures related to the programme and the processing of applications. In this regard, on 17 May last, my predecessor hosted a forum with participants from all of the local action groups and local development companies delivering the Leader programme to explore the issues of concern to them and identify potential solutions aimed at streamlining the current administrative and application procedures. The forum, which was attended by more than 70 people, was very productive and participants identified a number of areas where they felt procedures could be streamlined and where the burden on project applicants could be reduced. As a result of the contributions made at the forum, a list of programme modifications has been developed to improve the delivery of the Leader programme and these have been communicated to all the local action groups and local development companies. In total, I am committed to implementing 31 actions - 31 changes - to improve the administrative procedures relating to the Leader programme. These actions represent a very comprehensive response to the issues raised and the solutions identified by the participants at the forum.

The two Senators are correct in that I want to see this Leader funding administered, I want to see the money spent and I want to see it streamlined. I have given a commitment now that I will monitor this from week to week. The Senators are quite correct that the funding is in place. We want to get it out to the areas that need it and to the people who have made the applications. We have made 31 changes and I am told that these companies are all happier now. I hope we will now see a big improvement in the roll-out of the number of applications that have been received, but I want to see the roll-out of money, I want to see the money spent and I want to see some of it spent before the end of the year.