Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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110. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has assessed the total value of unallocated LEADER funding; the total amount of funding that has been unallocated; his plans for this unallocated funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52043/13]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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111. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government when local development companies will be in a position to accept new applications for LEADER funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52044/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 111 together.

In May 2013 all Local Development Companies were advised of their revised allocations under the Axis 3 and 4 elements of the Rural Development Programme (RDP). The overall value of th ose e lements of the R DP is currently €370m and of that up to 20% can be spent on administration costs leaving a minimum of €296 million available for projects and animation activities. Some Local Development Companies have indicated that they will spend less than the 20% allowed under the Regulations and will divert this funding into projects.

To date €285.5 million has been committed with a further 30 projects to the value of €9.1million still under assessment. My Department is in on-going contact with the relevant Local Development Companies in order to resolve outstanding issues as quickly as possible and I expect that this process will be finalised shortly. In addition projects to the value of €1.8m are currently under appeal.

My Department is keeping the funding position under constant review. I expect that there w ill be a small amount of uncommitted LEADER Programme funding available for re-distribution to LDCs before year end; I will review the options available for distributing these funds and make allocations in the coming weeks.