James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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437. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if additional funding will be provided to Longford-Westmeath for projects approved under the Leader programme before the end of 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25401/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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In May 2013 it became necessary to revise all Local Action Groups’ (LAGs) allocations under the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2007– 2013, not least due to the fact that the Programme value had reduced by over 13% due to an increased co-financing rate agreed with the European Commission. In December 2013 I allocated a further €4 million among the LAGs who had seen the greatest reduction in the May 2013 revision and also to the Gaeltacht areas. In this regard, Longford was allocated an additional €172,105 and Westmeath an additional €217,105. The revised allocations available to Longford Community Resources and Westmeath Community Development are €7,198,679 and €9,015,451, respectively. I do not anticipate that there will be any further allocations for the current programme. However I expect the new 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme to commence in 2015.