Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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270. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if an agreement has been signed between her Department and Forum Connemara regarding the delivery of the Leader programme in Connemara and the islands; if the programme is operational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32864/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Following a competitive process for the implementation of the LEADER 2014-2020 programme in Co. Galway, a Local Development Strategy submitted by Forum Connemara was selected for delivery by an independent Selection Committee. The selected strategy covers the municipal district of Connemara, including Inisbofin and the Aran Islands.

A Funding Agreement was signed by Forum Connemara on 12 October 2016. The new LEADER programme will be operational in the aforementioned areas with effect from 1 November 2016.

The remaining rural areas of Co. Galway are now the subject of a separate Expression of Interest and strategy selection process under the LEADER programme.