Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 405: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when the local action groups under the Leader programme will be launched; the budget the Tipperary LAG will have; the programmes it will be expected to deliver; and the number of staff that will be employed there. [42608/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that I announced the results of the process for selecting Local Action Groups to deliver the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme and the respective funding allocations for the successful Groups on the 4th November last. I hope to be in a position to sign contracts with the Groups in the near future. However, contracts will only be signed with those Groups who are fully cohesed and who have completed the transfer of Rural Social Scheme participants from the old LEADER companies.

With regard to the delivery of the LEADER elements of the Programme in Tipperary, two LEADER Groups have been selected to deliver the Programme, one each for North & South Tipperary. The Groups selected are North Tipperary LEADER Partnership Company and South Tipperary Local Development Company and they have been awarded allocations of €9,708,008 &€11,106,187 respectively under Axes 3 & 4 of the Programme.

Funding will be available for project activity under the following measures of the Programme:

Diversification into non-agricultural activities

Support for business creation and development

Encouragement of tourism activities

Basic services for the economy and rural population

Village renewal and development

Conservation and upgrading of the rural heritage

Training

Implementing co-operation projects

The Groups in question are private companies limited by guarantee. Although the companies will be contracted to deliver a number of programmes on behalf of my Department, my Department has no role to play in the management and staffing of the company.