Mark Duffy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Brady for sharing time. I thank the Minister for joining us in the Seanad and congratulate him on his position, work and effort to date. The most important thing that politicians do is listen and he has done a great job of that so far. He has kept his finger on the pulse in terms of the different matters that arise in what is a very challenging portfolio.

I would like to highlight the LEADER programme. It has the potential to be a brilliant asset to communities across the country. However, the challenge that exists goes back to what Senator Brady said, namely, community groups leading the regeneration of rural communities and towns and villages across the country. The bureaucracy, difficulty and challenges people face in administering the LEADER programme cannot be overstated. People would need degrees in accountancy, law and bookkeeping just to keep up with LEADER programme applications.

The challenge for many community groups and organisations is one I hope can be addressed in the future programme. The level of detail that is required in an application creates a difficulty, whereby 90% of funding is required for a particular project that is allocated. All of the i's need to be dotted and the t's need to be crossed. A lot of volunteerism goes into submitting an application. There is then a requirement for an additional 10% in matched funding and a community group having to pay for everything in advance while it waits for the administration of the remaining funding through a local authority. That is very difficult and can put volunteer committees under huge financial burdens and pressure. They are paying for short-term loans and interest to bridging companies like Clann Credo which is bridging the gap for community organisations. That puts huge stress and pressure on communities.

We need a grassroots approach to LEADER. It should not tick all of the boxes for bureaucrats while making no sense for communities on the ground. It needs to be led from the bottom upwards for community groups. Too much of the programme is caught up in administration in local authorities and local development companies without funding actually getting to the source. That is where the value and bang for buck of the LEADER programme is. There is something of a grey area for local GAA clubs, parish halls or whatever which require a car park to be resurfaced or facilities to be improved. The programme can have and has had a transformational and positive effect for communities, but the pound of flesh element needs to be removed.

The application process needs to be a much smoother and grassroots-orientated policy which meets the needs of communities. I ask that we do anything we can to bring things closer to communities and reduce the level of bureaucracy. People put a lot of goodwill, time and effort into applications, but then have to come up with an extra 10% in funding while also paying all of the costs upfront before drawing down the money. That puts a huge burden on volunteers and communities that often bridge the gap in delivery we sometimes have in local authorities. I thank the Minister for his time and wish him total success. I thank him for the work he has done and look forward to supporting that into the future.