Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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101. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding the proposed new town hall in Ballinrobe on the site of the old town hall; if the funding has been made available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27615/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I, along with Minister Michael Ring T.D., met with the Ballinrobe Town Hall Committee in April last at their request. During the meeting, the Committee presented its vision for a new town hall in Ballinrobe and outlined the business plan underpinning the venture. The Committee was interested in exploring whether any funding options were available from my Department which could support their own considerable fund-raising efforts. In this context, the discussion centred on the LEADER programme.

LEADER funding is delivered through Local Action Groups in each of the 28 LEADER sub-regional areas around the country.  The approval of LEADER funding for individual projects is a matter for the Local Action Groups in their respective areas and I have no function in relation to such matters.

In order for a project to be eligible for LEADER funding, it must be compatible with the actions outlined in the approved Local Development Strategy in the sub-regional area concerned, and it must comply with the Operating Rules and EU Regulations in place for the programme. 

I understand that the Ballinrobe Town Hall Committee has been actively engaging with the LEADER structures in Mayo and that they are being assisted by the LEADER Local Action Group in the county.

Any decision to approve funding in respect of the proposed Ballinrobe Town Hall project will be a matter for the Mayo Local Action Group.