Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 914: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his proposals to produce a strategic plan in regard to the disbursement of the allocation of €500 million rural development funding earmarked for Ireland under the 2007-2013 EU financial perspectives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1381/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs together with the Department of Agriculture and Food are preparing a joint national strategy for rural development as required by the new EU Council regulation on tural development. This task is being carried out in association with the EU Commission and it is envisaged that the strategy will be formally agreed and adopted early in 2006.

In October 2005 advertisements were placed in the national newspapers inviting representative organisations with an interest in rural development in Ireland to indicate if they wished to be consulted on preparation of the national strategy. In December 2005 a consultation document — Draft — Ireland Rural Development National Strategy Plan, NSP, 2007-2013 — issued to interested representative organisations.

It is intended that a detailed national programme will follow on from the national strategy and be agreed with the EU Commission by the middle of 2006, in time to allow commencement in January 2007. An indicative amount of EU funding for rural development programming was agreed at the December 2005 European Council. These allocations will have to be formally agreed at an upcoming meeting of the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers.