Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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13. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount approved for projects to date under the current LEADER programme by LAG; the amount paid out to date by LAG; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43832/19]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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LEADER is a multi-annual programme with a budget of €250 million over the period 2014-2020.  €225 million of this budget is allocated to Local Action Groups, or LAGs, who deliver the programme and approve projects at local level. This allocation includes €5 million in additional funding which I have allocated to the top 10 performing LAGs this week.

The balance of €25 million is provided for thematic projects which are approved at national level. 

Total expenditure on the LEADER programme since it commenced, effectively in 2016, is almost €70 million.  This includes expenditure on projects and the operating costs of the LAGs.  €36.1 million has been paid out in respect of projects. 

The level of project approvals under the LEADER programme has increased significantly over the last year. Over 2,400 projects have now been approved for funding of over €91.8 million since the programme commenced.  A further 310 project applications, requesting in excess of €26.4 million, are at various stages in the approval process.

The table which I am supplying to the Deputy 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' core project allocations. 

Table 1: Total LEADER Project approvals and payments by LAG as at 21 October 2019