Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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518. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 165 of 20 June 2013, the date on which his Department decided that childcare facilities were ineligible for LEADER funding; the date on which this information was communicated to County Kildare LEADER Company; if his Department has had any correspondence from County Kildare LEADER Company in relation to this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31720/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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In line with the ‘bottom-up’ approach to rural development under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 , the Local Development Companies (LDCs) 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 Programme’s Operating Rules and EU regulations. The Operating Rules which issued to all LDCs in March 2009 clearly stated that childcare was ineligible under the Programme .

The project referred to was submitted to my Department in May 2013 for sanction to exceed grant-aid of €150,000. It was at this stage that my Department notified County Kildare LEADER Company that it considered the project ineligible as it related to childcare. My Department has received additional correspondence from County Kildare LEADER Company on this project and is awaiting further information from the company.