Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1726. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason Leader funding is not dispersed in a timely manner; the amount of funding sought by groups in County Kerry to date in 2017; the amount allocated to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37543/17]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Funding Agreements with Local Action Groups (LAGs) for the delivery of the 2014-2020 LEADER programme were signed in the second half of 2016.  Since then, the LAGs have been working to establish their programmes locally and encourage applications.

The Funding Agreement for delivery of the new LEADER 2014-2020 Programme in the Kerry sub-regional area was signed on 8 July 2016, with approved funding of approximately €10.219 million over the lifetime of the programme. 

In light of concerns raised by project promoters and LAGs concerning the pace of approval of projects under the LEADER programme, a forum was held on May 17 last with participants from all of the Local Action Groups and the Local Development Companies delivering LEADER, including representatives from the Kerry LAG. The forum provided a platform to explore the administrative issues impacting on project approvals, and to identify potential solutions to the issues identified.  

The forum was very productive and participants identified a number of areas where they felt procedures could be streamlined. My officials reviewed all of the contributions made at the forum and identified a significant number of administrative changes that could be made to simplify and improve the delivery of the LEADER Programme. Many of these improvements have already been implemented, with the remaining actions coming into effect over the coming months.

More than 170 eligible expressions of interest from potential applicants in County Kerry have been recorded on the LEADER ICT system.  To date, 93 of these project applications with a value of €1,588,253 have been fully approved for LEADER funding by Kerry Local Community Development Committee.

I understand that the LAG is continuing to work through the expressions of interest with a view to assisting project promoters in developing and finalising further project applications.

On the basis of the progress now being made in Kerry, and the administrative changes which have been introduced, I anticipate a significant increase in LEADER project approvals in Kerry over the coming months.