Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 477: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the current position in relation to the delivery of the Leader programme in Gaeltacht areas; if he intends to publish any finding of investigations to date; the number of applicants awaiting payment from Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltacht on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32506/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta (MFG), the group contracted by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (DECLG) to deliver Axes 3 & 4 (LEADER) of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) in Gaeltacht Areas, went into liquidation on 7 September 2011 leaving Gaeltacht areas temporarily without access to the programme. Progress in the context of the legal "winding up" of MFG is ongoing and in this context the final figures with regard to number of payments due are not yet fully clarified. My Department is aware of the level of funding committed at various different stages of project life cycles but a series of administrative and financial checks will have to be carried out before payment numbers and amounts can be finalised. There have been no investigations with regard to the delivery of LEADER funding in Gaeltacht areas.

The process of identifying those promoters whose projects are at an advanced stage of development has been largely established and a system, in cooperation with Local Development Companies contiguous to Gaeltacht areas, is in place to facilitate the final checking and processing of payment claims in respect of these projects in the short term. Many of these files have now been sent to the relevant Local Development Companies (LDCs) who will be in touch directly with the relevant promoter to arrange payment.

In the context of the delivery of the Axes 3 & 4 (LEADER) elements of the RDP in Gaeltacht areas in the longer term, my Department has been working with geographically contiguous LDCs to determine the optimum long term solutions to facilitate the continuation of the service previously provided by MFG in Gaeltacht areas. Following the completion of an open and inclusive process, a long term delivery solution for the remainder of the current programme has been agreed for the Gaeltacht areas of Counties Galway, Donegal, Kerry, Cork, Waterford and Meath. The Department is currently in the process of formalising arrangements with the relevant Local Development Companies. There is a system in place to address the current outstanding commitments in Co Mayo in general, and the future delivery for the Gaeltacht areas of South West Mayo in particular; however, some further work is required to finalise a solution for the future delivery in the remaining areas of Co Mayo. I expect that a solution in respect of that final area will be reached very shortly.