Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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147. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the status of restoring Leader funding (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8750/16]

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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Some €250m will be provided to support the development of sustainable rural communities under the new LEADER Programme 2014-2020.  The Programme will complement other supports being provided by my Department to support rural Ireland including, for example, the new REDZ and village renewal schemes.  I am satisfied that these supports, targeted in a co-ordinated and integrated way, will help us meet the challenges currently facing our rural areas.

Under the LEADER Programme, funding will be distributed to communities by local action groups in line with approved LEADER local development strategies. These strategies are currently being evaluated and selected by an Independent Selection Committee established for this purpose.

As the value of the new Programme is less than the 2007-2013 LEADER Programme, allocations under the new Programme have inevitably reduced. Three objective criteria were used to determine allocations, namely, minimum allocation, population density and a Resource Allocation Model (RAM). The methodology was designed to ensure that funding was weighted appropriately towards the most rural populations and those experiencing most rural disadvantage.  I believe the methodology was fair and consistent, and secured a fair and proportionate share of the funding available for all LEADER areas.  In this context, €10.2m has been allocated to Kerry under the Programme, some 30% higher than the average allocation.

I have no plans to revisit LEADER allocations at this stage.