Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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766. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will elaborate on the allocation of moneys that were announced by him in relation to Leader funding; if he recognises that it contains many anomalies; the reason County Cork, which has three sub-regions, only received €6 million per sub-region despite the fact that in his Department's own criteria, each sub-region was supposed to receive a minimum of €3 million per sub-region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13965/15]

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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The Leader element of the Rural Development Programme 2014 - 2020 will provide €250 million in financial resources to rural communities over the next 5 - 6 years. Ireland is reconfiguring the way in which local and rural development interventions are implemented. This is in line with Government policy to ensure that local government is well positioned to support the effective and efficient delivery of local and rural development. A total of €220 million of the overall programme complement of €250m has been allocated based on administrative or county boundaries to 28 sub-regional areas.

In determining the county allocations, three objective criteria were used, namely, minimum allocation, population density and a Resource Allocation Model (RAM). Each county was given a minimum allocation of €3 million to ensure that each received a viable level of funding. However, Cork County was allocated €6 million as a minimum as the overall population outside of the city is almost twice that of any other county.

In relation to the 2014-2020 Programme, I am satisfied that the allocations are fair. Cork has been allocated almost €14 million which is the highest allocation nationally and is almost €5.5 million or 60% greater than the average county allocation.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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767. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason there is no mention of funds for fishery local action groups in the Leader allocations; his plans to dispense with these groups; if there is money left over from the 2007 to 2013 Leader programme; if so, the amount of money; and his plans for same. [13966/15]

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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My Department manages the Leader elements of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) which are funded from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). The allocations announced on 10 March 2015 are allocations from the EAFRD to support the Leader elements of the RDP 2014-2020. All available funding under the 2007-2013 Leader programme has been allocated to projects. The Fisheries Local Action Groups are funded from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, which is managed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Any queries in this regard should therefore be directed to my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.