Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Funding of €427m is to be made available under the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007-2013 for allocation to qualifying projects up to the end of 2013. One of the objectives of the RDP is to identify and provide appropriate amenity and leisure facilities to local communities not otherwise available to them.

There are 36 Local Action Groups contracted, on my Department's behalf, to deliver the RDP throughout the country, and these groups are the principal decision-makers in relation to the allocation of project funding. Such decisions are made in the context of the local development strategy of the individual groups and in line with Departmental operating rules and EU regulations. There is a procedure in place, in line with the operating rules, which facilitates final clearance from my Department when the proposed funding for an individual project is in excess of €150,000. Both projects referred to by the Deputy are currently under review through this procedure and I envisage that this process will be finalised very soon.