Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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LEADER is a multi-annual programme covering the period 2014-2020, with a total budget of €250 million over that period. €220 million of this funding has been allocated to the local action groups throughout the country which deliver the LEADER programme. The remaining €30 million is available for schemes which will be delivered at a national level.

LEADER funding is delivered through local action groups in each of the 28 LEADER sub-regional areas around the country. The local action group in County Wexford is Wexford local community development committee, LCDC, with Wexford local development company as the implementing partner.

The funding agreement for delivery of the LEADER Programme in the Wexford area was signed on 27 July 2016, with funding of approximately €9.8 million approved over the lifetime of the programme. The allocation for each LEADER sub-regional area is provided for the duration of the programme, rather than on an annual basis, to provide greater flexibility to the Local Action Groups in managing their resources.

As of 14 February 2018, 45 projects with a value of over €1.4 million had been approved for funding by the local action group in Wexford. I understand that a further six projects, requesting over €245,000 in funding, are at various stages in the approval process. There have been no payments made to date in the Wexford sub-regional area in respect of project applications. However, funding will be drawn down as projects are implemented and payment claims submitted.