Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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123. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his proposals for the community development companies and the way the new Leader funding will be administrated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46479/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The draft Rural Development Programme ( RDP) for the 2014-2020 programme period, including the LEADER elements, was submitted to the European Commission in July 2014. My Department is currently working with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Commission to finalise the text of the document with a view to commencing the implementation of the LEADER element of the Programme in 2015. The LEADER element of the RDP is delivered by Local Action Groups (LAGS) through the medium of Local Development Strategies (LDSs). The selection process to select LEADER LDSs and LAGS for the 2014-2020 programme will be an open process that will facilitate participation by any entity that meets the selection criteria. I expect the process to begin shortly and in this context I cannot say what entities will be successful until the process is complete. As required by the EU regulation governing the programme, successful local development strategies will be selected by an independent selection committee established for that purpose.