Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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159. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide additional funding to the Cavan-Monaghan Leader group as they have a number of important projects awaiting approval and these projects, if undertaken, will have substantial economic impact across the Cavan-Monaghan region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47609/13]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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160. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide additional funding with immediate effect to the Cavan-Monaghan Leader group as the reduction in funding of €2.1 million last May is having a very negative effect on a number of projects with good employment potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47610/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 160 together.

Cavan/Monaghan LEADER is contracted on behalf of my Department in relation to the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013.

In regard to LEADER, during 2011, the European Commission approved a change in the maximum co-funding rate from 55% to 85% for the LEADER elements of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2007 – 2013. This had the effect of reducing the available funding under the Programme from €427 million to an estimated €370 million.

It was therefore necessary to carry out a comprehensive review of the level of commitments and expenditure across the Programme in order to apportion the remaining funds among the Local Development Companies (LDCs), taking into account the level of commitments already entered into.

The redistribution of funding was conducted in as fair and equitable a manner as was possible and in the case of Cavan/Monaghan LEADER the revised allocation represents a decrease of 17.5% from their original allocation. Many of the other LDCs experienced similar reductions.

I am committed to the continued monitoring of this situation and my Department will review all commitments and expenditure levels later this month to ensure, in so far as is possible, that all available Programme funding is committed by end December 2013; allocations will again be revised if there is funding available for re-distribution.