Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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618. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the percentage of total expenditure by each LEADER group on administration and animation in the 2009 to 2014 programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11818/19]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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LEADER is a multi-annual EU co-funded programme to support rural development. The 2007-2013 LEADER programme was delivered by the Local Development Companies who were the Local Action Groups (LAGs) for each LEADER area.

Total project and administration expenditure, which included engagement with potential promoters (known as "animation"), under the 2007-2013 LEADER programme amounted to approximately €369 million. Table 1 provides details of the administration and animation expenditure incurred by each LAG, expressed as a percentage of their total spend under the 2007-2013 LEADER programme.

Under the 2007-2013 programme, the LEADER Local Action Groups could claim 20% of their funding allocation for the purposes of administration and animation costs. The LAGs could also avail of additional funding from their project budget allocation to fund additional animation activity, and these amounts are also included in Table 1.

Table 1: LEADER 2007-2013 Percentage Administration and Animation expenditure by LAG.