Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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705. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government when the Leader funding for the rural development programme to the Leader groups, North and East Kerry Development, South Kerry Development and IRD Duhallow will be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34077/15]

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 support the development of sustainable rural communities. Under stage one of the selection process any entity who wished to be considered as a Local Action Group was invited to submit an expression of interest.

For the purposes of the new Programme, there are 28 sub-regional areas with County Kerry being one of these. A single expression of interest was received from Kerry Local and Community Development Committee for the Kerry sub-regional area and as this met the minimum criteria, it has now proceeded to stage two of the process, which is the preparation of a local development strategy.

A minimum of 6 months is being allowed for the preparation of local development strategies. However, I expect that not all areas will require the full 6 months. To date, one finalised draft strategy has been submitted for evaluation. Kerry Local and Community Development Committee have not yet submitted their finalised draft strategy.

I am hopeful that strategies will be approved over the coming months and that LEADER will be operational on the ground from November onwards with all areas operational and processing applications by early 2016.