Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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272. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proposed spend on each measure of the new Rural Development Plan 2014-2020 broken down between national and European spend; the annual forecast for spend on each measure for the years, 2014 to 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10316/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Rural Development Programme (RDP), 2014-2020 will be a key support in enhancing the competitiveness of the agri-food sector, achieving more sustainable management of natural resources and ensuring a more balanced development of rural areas. EU Regulation No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on support for Rural Development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) sets out the breakdown of EU support for rural development for each Member State for the years 2014 – 2020. Ireland’s total EAFRD allocation for rural development is some €2.19 billion (or some €313 million per annum), as agreed at the EU Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) negotiations in 2013. EU funding amounts are combined with national co-funding to provide for each Member State’s RDP. In Ireland’s case, National Exchequer funding brings the total to be spent on RDP schemes in the 2014-2020 period to some €4 billion.

The MFF is subject to a formal amendment process at EU level for RDPs approved in 2015. However, the average amount of EU support per annum remains the same. It has been agreed that a letter of comfort will issue to Member States who have informally agreed their RDP with the Commission in 2015 but where formal adoption of the RDP will be delayed by amendments to the MFF.

Detailed discussions and intensive negotiations are ongoing between my Department and the Commission in order to secure agreement on the new RDP. When these negotiations are complete, the schemes and supports contained in Ireland’s will be rolled out in line with the annual budgetary process.