Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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554. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount available to each LAG for projects under the LEADER programme; the amount approved for projects to date by LAG; the amount expended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50398/19]

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. €225 million of this funding has been allocated to the Local Action Groups (LAGs) throughout the country who deliver the LEADER programme. This allocation includes both core project funding and administration and animation costs for the LAGs.

The remaining €25 million in the programme is available for thematic schemes to be delivered at a national level and is allocated as projects are approved.

Table 1 below provides a breakdown of the amount allocated to projects for each LAG under the LEADER programme 2014-2020, the value of projects approved to date, and the amount paid to date in respect of projects. The figures do not include expenditure or approvals under national-level thematic schemes which operate on a competitive bid basis.

Total project expenditure on the current LEADER programme since it commenced, effectively in 2016, amounts to over €40 million. The level of project activity under the programme has increased significantly since the start of 2018 and 2,547 projects have now been approved for funding of over €95.3 million.

A further 355 project applications, requesting almost €30.7 million in funding, are at various stages in the approval process. Project expenditure will increase significantly as these projects are implemented and payments are drawn down.

Table 1: Total LEADER Project Allocations, Approvals and Payments by LAG as of 3 December 2019.