Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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355. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the method by which the more competitive capital funding, as promised in the programme for Government to Leader groups, will be made available, and the associated timeframe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13364/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the Leader programme will transfer to my colleague the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht shortly. In this regard, the allocation of additional funding to Leader groups, which is referred to in the new Programme for a Partnership Government, will be considered in due course. I believe there is sufficient funding allocated under the programme to meet demand in 2016 and 2017. It is likely, therefore, that the allocation of additional funding will be considered for the latter years of the programme when applications for funding and expenditure traditionally reach their peak. Notwithstanding this, any additional allocation of funding to LEADER groups will be made in accordance with EU rules and with a view to securing optimum outcomes for rural areas.