David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 308 of 26 May 2009, the amount of money expended to date out of the €48.26 million allocated under the support for business creation and development measure for the development of a range of rural enterprise activity of the rural development programme 2007 to 2013; the number of businesses supported since 2007 through this support for business creation measure; the number of jobs created to date under the entire rural development programme since it began in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23837/09]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, I have signed contracts with 36 Local Action Groups for the delivery of the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. The Programme has been operational since late January 2009.

While project expenditure has commenced under the overall Programme, expenditure has yet to start under the Business Creation and Development measure. As a result, information on the number of businesses supported and numbers of jobs created is not available. I can confirm, however that since February 2009, over €700,000 has been committed under this measure with further potential commitments of €1.23 million registered at various stages in the project evaluation process.