Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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58. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the spend to date in 2019 under the rural regeneration fund; the expenditure expected by year end; the value of the grant approvals to date under the fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22845/19]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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61. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the position regarding the first allocation under the rural regeneration and development fund; the project review mechanisms in place; when the second call for funding under the fund will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22881/19]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 58 and 61 together.

The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund seeks to support ambitious and strategic projects which have the potential to transform rural economies and communities. The Government has committed €1 billion over 10 years to the Fund and €315 million is allocated to the Fund for the period 2019-2022.  My Department has allocated €52 million from the Fund to support the RRDF projects in 2019.

The first call for applications for the Fund closed at the end of September.  There were 280 applications submitted to the first call.  126 applications related to Category 1, "shovel ready" projects.  154 related to Category 2 projects, those which needed development funding to become potential Category 1 applications in future calls for applications.

In November 2018, I announced the first set of 18 successful Category 1 projects.  These 18 projects will receive €24.4m in funding and have an overall value of €34.6m.  In February 2019, I announced another 20 successful Category 1 projects and 46 Category 2 projects.  These 66 projects will receive €62m in funding and have a total project value of €83m.  Overall, the first call from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund will provide €86m in support for projects worth €117m.  

To ensure the prompt delivery of projects, my Department has drawn up contractual obligations for successful applicants with funding based on the achievement of key milestones in the projects.  In that regard, while there has been no drawdown from the Fund to date though I am pleased that a number of the projects are approaching the completion of their first key milestone.  

I launched the second call for applications to the Fund in April 2019.  This current call is open to Category 1, shovel-ready, applications only and the closing date is 12 noon on Tuesday, 6th August 2019.  A further call for Category 2 applications will follow in October. Information on the requirements of the second call are on the gov.ie website and information sessions to assist potential applicants will be held by my Department.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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59. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount approved for projects to date under the current LEADER programme by local action group, LAG; the total paid out to date by LAG; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22846/19]

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 thematic schemes to be delivered at a national level and is allocated as projects are approved.

Total expenditure on the LEADER programme since it commenced, effectively in 2016, is in excess of €50 million.  This includes expenditure on projects and the operating costs of the Local Action Groups.

The level of project activity under the LEADER programme has increased significantly over the last year, and 1,991 projects have now been approved for funding of almost €69 million.  A further 373 project applications, requesting in excess of €26 million, are at various stages in the approval process.

Table 1 provides a breakdown of the projects approved by each Local Action Group together with details of the project payments made to date. The figures do not include expenditure or approvals under national-level thematic schemes, such as the LEADER Food Initiative and Co-operation Projects, as they are not funded from the LAGs' existing allocations. 

Table 1: Total LEADER Project approvals and payments by LAG as at 26^thMay 2019