Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 26: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the steps he will take to facilitate the draw down of Leader funding from the integrated development companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8243/10]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 44: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the steps he will take to address the red tape associated with the draw down of Leader funding from the integrated development companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8242/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 44 together.

Funding of the order of €425m is available over the lifetime of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007-13 and all expenditure is subject to EU rules and regulations. In this context, a number of Local Action Groups (LAGs), formerly known as LEADER Companies, have been contracted by my Department to deliver the RDP and they must do so in compliance with those EU regulations.

The RDP Operating Rules which govern the day-to-day operation of the programme are, in turn, based on EU regulations and are subject to the same audit and verification requirements in Ireland, as in every other Member State.

The Deputy will appreciate that my Department is charged with ensuring that there is no misappropriation of funds and that all expenditure under the RDP is in line with the regulations as set out by the European Commission.

My Department is fully committed to making programme payment processes as efficient and effective as possible. In this regard, a robust system is already in place to ensure that payments are made to promoters as soon as all the relevant checks have been carried out.

All LAGs were fully aware of the regulatory environment that would operate when they submitted their applications to deliver the RDP in their areas of operation and all agreed to abide by the relevant rules in the contracts they signed in 2009. When I met the representatives of the LAGs last autumn, I invited them to make a submission to me in relation to any difficulties they had in relation to the implementation of the RDP. That submission is still awaited.

I can assure the Deputy that my Department is working closely with each LAG in order to streamline all required processes and to assist in maximising the impact of the RDP in their respective areas.