Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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156. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding which will be made available for Leader in 2017 and 2018; when the next funding will be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26473/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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LEADER is a multi-annual programme which has a budget of €250 million over the period to 2020. €220 million of this funding has been allocated to the 28 LEADER sub-regional areas in Ireland and will be delivered through the Local Action Groups (LAGs) which manage the programme in each area. The remaining €30 million will be managed at a national level for targeted investment initiatives in areas such as co-operation projects between LAGs, and support for artisan food producers.

The annual funding requirement for the LEADER programme is reviewed on a year-by-year basis as part of the Estimates process. A sum of €40 million has been allocated for LEADER in my Department’s Vote for 2017. The figure for 2018 will be decided as part of the 2018 Estimates process later this year.

Applications for project funding at sub-regional level are made directly to the LAGs. The LAGs are open to accepting proposals from project promoters on an on-going basis or through targeted calls.