Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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620. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of projects approved to date by each local action group under the 2014 to 2020 LEADER programme; the amount approved for projects to date by each local action group under the LEADER programme; the total amount in euro expended to date by each local action group under the LEADER programme in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50155/18]

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. Funding to cover the full period of the programme has been allocated to each of the individual Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver LEADER.

Table 1 provides a breakdown of the number and value of projects approved by each Local Action Group to date, together with the total expenditure incurred in each LAG area. The expenditure figure provided for each LAG includes:

- preparatory costs incurred to develop their Local Development Strategy;

- administration costs of the LAG and the cost of their engagement with communities to generate projects - also referred to as "animation" costs;

- project expenditure.

Total expenditure on the LEADER programme since it commenced, effectively in 2016, has amounted to over €34 million. 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. A further 370 project applications, requesting an additional €23.4 million, are at various stages in the approval process.

Table 1: Total LEADER Approvals and Expenditure by LAG as of 2 December 2018

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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621. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of projects approved by 30 June 2017 and 30 June 2018 for each local action group under the 2014 to 2020 LEADER programme; the number of approved projects in each local action group that subsequently received funding in that calendar year; and the number of approved projects in each local action group that did not receive funding in that calendar year in tabular form. [50156/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Projects under the LEADER programme are approved by the Local Action Groups (LAGs) which administer the programme in each LEADER sub-regional area.

Expenditure on LEADER projects is drawn down as the projects are implemented and the promoters submit claims for payment to the LAGs.

Grant funding can be drawn down on a phased basis and a maximum of five phased payments are permitted. The approved works must be fully completed by the project promoter prior to the final payment.

44 projects were approved by the Local Action Groups by 30th June 2017. Payment claims were submitted in respect of 25 of these projects and were processed by the end of 2017. The remaining 19 projects did not receive a payment in 2017.

By 30th June 2018, a total of 1,126 projects (including the 44 referenced above) had been approved by the LAGs. Payment in respect 442 projects have been made to date in 2018, leaving 684 projects where claims have not yet been received by my Department or finalised for payment.

Table 1 provides a breakdown of these project approvals and payment claims data for each LAG area.

Table 1: LEADER Project Approvals and Claims data.