Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1539. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount approved for projects under the Leader programme in each of the years 2014 to 2020 by local action group; the amount paid out for projects to date in 2018 by local action group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1266/18]

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) which deliver funding in accordance with Local Development Strategies that have been agreed 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.

As of 31st December 2017, 592 projects with a value of over €16.4 million have been approved for LEADER funding by the LAGs. The breakdown of these approvals by Local Action Group is provided at Appendix 1. A further 372 projects requesting over €16.1 million in funding are at various stages in the approval process. This funding will be drawn down as projects start to incur expenditure and submit payment claims.

Project expenditure amounting to €661,844 was incurred in 2017. Details of this expenditure by Local Action Group are also provided at Appendix 1.

While the pace of approvals varies between Local Action Groups, I am confident that the progress made by the LAGs in the second half of 2017, along with the administrative improvements which my Department introduced last year, will result in a significant increase in project approvals and payments under the LEADER programme over the coming months.

PQ 1266/18 – Appendix 1

LEADER Approvals and Payments as at 31 December 2017