Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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324. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount for approved projects under the Leader programme 2014-20 paid out to date by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29587/18]

Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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325. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount for approved projects under the Leader programme 2014-20 still to be paid out by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29588/18]

Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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326. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the percentage of approved projects under the Leader programme 2014-20 paid to date by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29589/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 324 to 326, inclusive, together.

Leader is a multi-annual programme for the period 2014-2020 and has a total budget of €250 million.

The table provides the following details requested by the Deputy:

- the amount approved to date for projects under the Leader programme 2014-2020 broken down by county;

- the amount which has been claimed and paid in each county in respect of these projects;

- the amount which has been claimed and paid in each county in respect of these projects expressed as a percentage of the total level of approvals; and,

- the amount which remains to be paid in each county in respect of these projects.

As the Deputy will appreciate, the approved projects need time to be delivered before they can submit payment claims and draw down funding.

However, I expect the level of expenditure on projects to increase substantially in the coming months as these projects are implemented.