Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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539. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount allocated to each local action group, LAG, under the 2014 to 2020 LEADER programme; the amount expended under the programme in each LAG as at 31 December 2018; the percentage of the total spend to date of the amount allocated to each LAG as at 31 December 2018; the amount expended to date on project costs by each LAG as at 31 December 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4146/19]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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LEADER is a multi-annual programme with a total budget of €250 million over the period 2014-2020. €220 million of this funding has been allocated to the Local Action Groups (LAGs) throughout the country who deliver the LEADER programme. This funding is allocated to the LAGs for the full period of the programme.

The remaining €30 million is available for schemes to be delivered at a national level.

Table 1 provides details as at 31 December 2018 of:

- The allocations to the LAGs under the LEADER 2014-2020 programme.

- The total expenditure by LAG which includes the administration costs of the LAGs and the cost associated with their engagement with promoters to develop projects;

- The total expenditure expressed as a percentage of the LAG's allocation; and,

- The total expenditure incurred on LEADER projects.

There was a significant increase in both project approvals and expenditure in 2018. I am confident that the progress now being made by the LAGs in approving projects, along with the administrative improvements introduced by my Department, will result in a continued increase in project approvals and payments under the LEADER programme during 2019.

Table 1: LEADER expenditure data as of 31 December 2018.