Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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349. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of an issue regarding Leader funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17968/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department issued Funding Agreements for the delivery of the LEADER programme to the first 18 Local Action Groups in the week beginning 20 June 2016. Applications for LEADER funding can commence in these areas from 8 July, provided that the Funding Agreement has been signed by the respective Local Action Groups. Contracts will issue in each of the remaining 10 sub-regional areas as the strategy selection process is concluded. Additional information has been requested by the Independent Selection Committee as regards a number of the strategies in these 10 regions.

The final draft of the LEADER Operating Rules was circulated to all Local Action Groups on 20 June 2016. The official consolidated version of the Operating Rules, which will include some additional appendices, will be available upon the launch of the LEADER programme, which is expected to take place in early July.