Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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212. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government when he expects that Leader funding will be available to community groups in County Clare, under the new rural development programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35049/15]

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. For the purposes of the new Programme, there are 28 sub-regional areas , with County Clare being one of these. Stage one of the selection process invited any entity who wished to be considered as a Local Action Group to submit an expression of interest. Two expressions of interest were received for the Clare sub-regional area. These were from Clare Local and Community Development Committee and Clare Local Development Company. Both entities have progressed to stage two of the process, which is the preparation of local development strategies.

In areas where a single strategy is submitted, an Independent Evaluation Committee will review and evaluate these strategies with a view to ensuring that they meet the required standard. In areas where multiple strategies are submitted, it will be a matter for the Independent Evaluation Committee to make a decision on which local development strategy should be selected.

A minimum of 6 months is being allowed for the preparation of 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. I can confirm that neither Clare Local and Community Development Committee nor Clare Local Development Company have submitted their finalised local development strategy for consideration to date.

I am hopeful that strategies will be approved over the coming months and that Leader will be operational in some areas from November 2015 onwards with all areas operational and processing applications by early 2016.