Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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814. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the plans in place for a rollover and transition funding for the 34 LEADER companies across the country whose contract ends on 31 December 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28673/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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LEADER is co-funded by the European Commission under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The current programming period concludes in December 2020.

Proposals for new regulations for the CAP 2021-2027 were launched in June 2018 by the European Commission. However, given the nature of the discussions on the CAP and the wider EU Budget post-2020, there has been a delay in adopting these proposals. This means that the next LEADER programme will not now commence until January 2022 at the earliest.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to prioritise a State-led programme to bridge the gap between the current LEADER programme and the next EU programme. My Department is currently examining the best approach to deliver on this commitment.

The European Commission has also published proposals for transitional measures to allow for continuity between the programming periods. The Commission's Transitional Regulation is still under negotiation and there are still a number of issues to be resolved over the coming months, including the duration of the transitional period.

I hope to be in a positon to make decisions relating to the proposed transitional programme as committed to in the Programme for Government shortly, having regard, inter alia, to any arrangements that may be agreed at European level.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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815. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she expects a new LEADER programme to be in place, particularly in respect of the 34 LEADER companies across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28674/20]

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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816. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the same format will be kept in place for the next programme of Leader, particularly with regard to the 34 Leader companies across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28675/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 815 and 816 together.

LEADER is co-funded by the European Commission under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The current programming period concludes in December 2020.

Proposals for new regulations for the CAP 2021-2027 were launched in June 2018 by the European Commission. However, given the nature of the discussions on the CAP and on the wider EU Budget post-2020, there has been a delay in adopting these proposals. This means that the next LEADER programme will not now commence until January 2022 at the earliest.

Once there is agreement at European level regarding the regulations for the next CAP period, decisions will be taken in relation to the delivery of the next LEADER Programme having regard to, inter alia, the provisions of the EU Regulations governing the structure of future Local Action Groups and the outcome of consultations with all relevant stakeholder groups.

In the meantime, the Programme for Government includes a commitment to prioritise a State-led programme to bridge the gap between the current LEADER programme and the next EU programme. My Department is currently examining the best approach to deliver on this commitment and I hope to be in a positon to make a decision on this matter shortly.

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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817. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the progress that has been made to ensure that the commitment in the programme for Government that the new LEADER programme will be led by independent local action groups will be honoured; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28769/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government contains a number of commitments in relation to the LEADER Programme, including a commitment to promote the role of independent Local Action Groups (LAGs), while ensuring that strong accountability and transparency mechanisms are in place to protect taxpayers’ money.

Over the coming months, my officials will be working through the details of all of the commitments in the Programme for Government in relation to LEADER. The first objective, as set out in the Programme for Government, is to prioritise a new State-led LEADER programme to bridge the gap between the current EU programme which finishes at the end of this year, and the commencement of a new EU-funded programme. The commencement of the new EU programme has been impacted by the delay in finalising the EU budget for the period 2021-2027.

Decisions on the delivery of the new LEADER programme will be have regard, inter alia, to the provisions of the EU Regulations governing the structure of future Local Action Groups and the outcome of consultations with all relevant stakeholder groups.