Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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44. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of underspend for each rural scheme administered by his Department as of the end of September 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43833/19]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Gross expenditure of €291 million has been provided to my Department under the Further Revised Estimates for 2019. €132 million of this is allocated to the rural development programme area, with 93% of this being capital funding. At the end of September, current expenditure within the programme area is broadly on target, and capital expenditure is running slightly ahead of the profile estimated at the start of the year.  

By the end of September over €63 million in capital funding has been invested in a range of rural development schemes including LEADER; the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF); Town and Village Renewal; Regional Economic Development; Local Improvement Scheme; and the National Rural Development Schemes (CLÁR and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS)).

Expenditure on LEADER is running ahead of target as project approval ramp up and claims are made. While expenditure on the RRDF is behind profile, the rate of expenditure will accelerate to year end as  approved projects complete the procurement stages into construction, and recoupment is sought by local authorities and other bodies in respect of works undertaken.

I have set out in the following table a breakdown by capital spend by subhead on rural development schemes to the end of September. It details spend to end September, the full year  allocation, as well as  expenditure against the profile estimated at the start of the year.