Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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927. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the financial allocations under the 2014 to 2020 rural development programme per measure 19 support for Leader local development, in tabular form; the respective budget allocations for each year in this rural development plan; the annual amount spent to date in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27050/17]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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928. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the annual expenditure between EAFRD and national exchequer funding to measure 19 support for Leader for local development under the rural development programme 2014 to 2020 in each of the years 2014 to 2016, in tabular form; the budget allocations from both these funding sources in each of the years 2017 to 2020 period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27051/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 927 and 928 together.

The LEADER programme forms part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 which is co-funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).

The total amount of funding provided for LEADER 2014-2020 is €250 million over the lifetime of the programme. The EAFRD will contribute an average of 63% of the total cost of the programme (approximately €157 million), with the remaining 37% (approximately €93 million) being provided by the Exchequer. The allocation is provided for the duration of the programme rather than on an annual basis.

Funding for the programme is provided, in the first instance, from Exchequer resources in my Department’s Vote, and the sum required each year is agreed as part of the annual Estimates process. A sum of €40 million has been provided for the programme in my Department’s 2017 Estimate.

The EAFRD contribution to the programme is drawn down in arrears on the basis of expenditure actually incurred, and EAFRD receipts are treated as Appropriations-in-Aid in my Department’s Vote.

Table 1 provides a breakdown of the expenditure under the LEADER 2014-2020 Programme in each of the years 2014 to 2017. Expenditure commenced in 2015 and relates to preparatory support payments for the preparation of Local Development Strategies in each area, and to the administration and animation costs incurred by the LAGs in the delivery of the Programme.

Table 1 - Breakdown of LEADER 2014-2020 Expenditure between EAFRD and national Exchequer, 2014-2017