Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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250. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the latest date for approval of projects under the current LEADER programme and the latest date for the completion of projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43638/13]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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251. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will allow committals under the Leader programme in excess of the project funding available, in view of the fact that not all projects given approval will have made full draw down by the end of the programme in 2015, and if he will ensure that all EU funding under the programme is drawn down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43639/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 251 together.

My Department is monitoring the situation carefully regarding expenditure and approvals under the Programme. I will examine all unallocated funding in early November with a view to reallocating funding to other qualifying projects.

The European Commission recently allowed commitments under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 to continue to made into 2014 and 2 015 subject to some conditions. I have no plans , however, to allow commitments to be made beyond the end of December 2013 at this point. My Department will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure that there is full commitment and drawdown by the end of 2015.

Local Development Companies' (LDC) contracts for the delivery of the Programme expire during the period 30 September - 31 December 2014. Project promoter's contracts must expire three months in advance of the expiry date of the relevant LDC contract to allow for adequate time to complete the payment process for the project.