Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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200. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the expenditure on projects under the LEADER programme in each of the years 2014 to 2020 as of 31 August 2017; the approvals for projects to the same day, by LAG; the steps being taken to expedite expenditure under the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40020/17]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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LEADER is a multi-annual EU co-funded programme to support rural development.  Ireland has an allocation of €250 million under the programme over the period 2014-2020,  including both national and EU funding.  The programme is administered by Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver funding in accordance with Local Development Strategies that have been produced for each LAG area.

Funding Agreements for the current LEADER programme were, for the most part, signed with the LAGs in the second half of 2016 and the programme effectively became operational from that date.  There was no project expenditure on the new LEADER programme prior to 2017, although funding was provided to the LAGs to develop their Local Development Strategies and to prepare for the implementation phase of the programme.

In excess of 5,000 expressions of interest have been received to date by the LAGs from potential project promoters under the 2014-2020 LEADER programme and the LAGs are currently working with project promoters to develop and finalise project applications.

As of 31st August 2017, 265 projects with a value of over €6.7 million had been approved for LEADER funding by the LAGs.  The number and value of projects at final approval stage in each Local Action Group as of 31st August 2017 is provided on Table 1 below.  This funding will be drawn down as projects start to incur expenditure and submit payment claims.  As of 31stAugust 2017, project expenditure amounting to €132,681 had been drawn down.

Since June, the number of project approvals under LEADER has increased significantly, with well over 200 projects fully approved since then for LEADER grant aid of over €6 million. This compares to approvals with a grant aid of less than €1 million in the previous 6 months.

I am confident that progress now being made by the LAGs, along with administrative improvements which have been introduced by my Department following consultation with the LAGs, will result in a significant increase in project approvals and payments under the LEADER programme over the coming months.

Table 1 – Projects at Final Approved stage in each LAG