Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 526: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if Gaeltacht areas in County Kerry will come under the LEADER programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27365/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta (MFG), the group contracted by my Department to deliver Axes 3 & 4 (LEADER) of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) in Gaeltacht areas, went into liquidation on 7 September 2011. Progress, in the context of the legal "winding up" process, is currently ongoing.

Local Action Groups in contiguous geographical areas have been engaged to implement an interim system to facilitate grant payment to projects that were at an advanced stage of development. Many of these project files have now been sent to the relevant Local Action Groups who are contacting promoters directly to facilitate payment.

In the context of the delivery of Axes 3 & 4 (LEADER) of the Rural Development Programme in Gaeltacht areas, including the Gaeltacht areas in Kerry, for the remainder of the programme period, my Department requested expressions of interest, in March 2012 to deliver the programme in these areas. The submissions received are now being examined as part of this process with a view to determining the competent bodies to deliver the RDP going forward.