Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 453: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 366 and 367 of 13 March 2012, the latest position of the selection of a successor to Meitheal Forbatha na Gaeltacht in north Mayo Gaeltacht; when he expects the successor to take over; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29323/12]

Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 454: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 366 and 367 of 13 March 2012, when he expects the final payments to be made to project promoters that are owed money following the collapse of Meitheal Forbatha na Gaeltacht; and if he will set up a fund to make emergency payments to promoters that are suffering financial hardship as a result of the wait for this money. [29324/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 454 together.

Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta (MFG), the group contracted by my Department to deliver Axes 3 & 4 (LEADER) of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) in Irish Language Areas, went into liquidation on 7 September 2011. Progress, in the context of the legal "winding up" process, is currently ongoing.

In the context of the delivery of Axes 3 & 4 (LEADER) of the Rural Development Programme in Irish language areas for the remainder of the programme period, my Department requested expressions of interest to deliver the programme in these areas in March 2012. The submissions received are being examined with a view to determining the competent bodies to deliver the RDP going forward in all Gaeltacht areas including the Gaeltacht areas of North Mayo. I envisage this process will be completed shortly.

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 the promoters directly to facilitate payment going forward. Such payments are still subject to the rules and regulations that govern the RDP and it is the responsibility of the relevant Local Action Group to ensure that all payments are fully compliant before they are issued. Neither my Department nor individual Local Action Groups are in a position to establish an emergency fund; however both my Department and each relevant Local Action Group is working towards issuing these payments as soon as possible.