Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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619. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the progress made to date with the roll-out of the LEADER programme 2014 to 2020; the expenditure incurred to date on the programme by administrative, animation and projects costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50154/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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LEADER is a multi-annual programme which has a total budget of €250 million over the period to 2020.

Total expenditure on the LEADER programme since it commenced - effectively in 2016 when the majority of Funding Agreements were signed - amounts to over €34 million. This comprises:

- €1.47 million in preparatory costs incurred by the LEADER Local Action Groups (LAGs) to develop Local Development Strategies.

- €21.61 million in administration costs of the LAGs and the cost of their engagement with communities to generate projects - also referred to as "animation" costs.

- €11.03 million on project expenditure.

The level of project activity under the LEADER programme has increased significantly this year, and 1,525 projects have now been approved for funding of over €50 million, compared to 592 projects approved at the end of 2017. A further 370 project applications, requesting an additional €23.4 million, are at various stages in the approval process.

Project payments have also increased significantly in recent months as approved works are completed and claims are submitted. Over €10 million of project expenditure has been incurred in 2018, compared to just under €700,000 in 2017.

I expect that the progress now being made on the LEADER programme will continue as further projects are approved and payment claims are made. The progress has been assisted by improvements made by my Department in the last year to the applications and approvals process in consultation with the LAGs.