Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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175. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the funding available to towns and villages for village enhancement projects; if plans exist to introduce new funding streams for such projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18336/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Funding for town and village enhancement projects was available under the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. In line with the ‘bottom-up’ approach to rural development, there are 35 Local Action Groups (LAGs) contracted, on my Department’s behalf, to deliver the LEADER elements of the Programme throughout the country. The LAGs are the principal decision-makers in relation to the allocation of project funding which is fully allocated under the current Programme.

I anticipate however, that the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020 will commence during 2015.