Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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149. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if and when she finalised and signed off on the procedures manual for the rural development programme. [19050/16]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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150. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if and when she approved the operating rules for the rural development programme. [19051/16]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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151. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when she will sign contracts with the Local Community Development Committees. [19052/16]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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152. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when she will formulate and sign the service level agreements for the rural development programmes. [19053/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 to 152, inclusive together.

Funding agreements for the implementation of the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme issued to eighteen local action groups in the week beginning 20^thJune, with a view to launching the LEADER programme in these areas from early July 2016.

I expect to issue further agreements to the other ten proposed local action groups in the coming weeks as the strategy selection process is fully concluded in each area.

The operating rules governing the programme have been finalised and circulated to all of the proposed local action groups. Some additional appendices will be added to the operating rules prior to the launch of the programme in early July 2016.

The Service Level Agreement between each Local Community Development Committee, and its implementing and financial partners, is a matter for agreement at local level. Having said that, my Department has contributed to the drafting of a template agreement and will continue to work with all entities to conclude a workable format.

A number of the local action groups have also been collaborating to develop harmonised procedures manuals and processes, and this work is progressing well.