Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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235. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will address a matter regarding the development of a digital inclusion fund (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50172/21]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) aims to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion and equality by supporting rural and urban communities and individuals using community development approaches, engagement and collaboration.

My Department is providing SICAPfunding in excess of €220 million over six years (2018-2023). This year over €39 million was allocated to the programme, supporting front line workers in Local Development Companies to deliver SICAPon the ground.

The programme does vital work in helping individuals and groups, by improving the life chances of those who are marginalised in society, living in poverty or unemployed. Indeed, since 2018, the programme has supported over 80,000 individuals and 6,200 Local Community Groups.

I am delighted to have secured a 10 per cent increase for SICAP for 2022 the largest increase since the programme was launched which will lead to the creation of jobs in the area of social inclusion, helping those most in need across the country. This is a very positive step towards restoring the SICAP budget to historic levels, and it is my intention to continue to prioritise funding for SICAP.

The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the digital divide and its negative impacts on groups most at risk of economic and social exclusion in Ireland and some very positive work is already underway at local level under SICAP. In addition, my officials are seeking out further opportunities, in particular via the European Social Fund (ESF) to support a targeted digital inclusion programme.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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236. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the development of the new Leader programme for the period 2023-2027; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50163/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The LEADER programme is a key intervention implemented by my Department which will help to underpin the Government's rural development goals as outlined in Our Rural Future.

The negotiations on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) regulations were provisionally agreed at the Council of Ministers Meeting on 28/29 June. Technical discussions to finalise the legal text are currently taking place under the Slovenian Presidency.

The programme is co-funded by the EU under Pillar II the CAP. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is Ireland's Managing Authority for the CAP and thus has lead responsibility for negotiations of the new CAP which is to be introduced from 2023. My officials are engaging extensively with both DAFM and the EU Commission on the new LEADER programme to form part of the new CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) .

Over the past number of months, officials in my Department have been engaging with stakeholders regarding the design of the next LEADER Programme. This consultation will continue as the process of agreeing the new CAP Strategic Plan with the EU Commission develops.

I recently initiated an external review of the current LEADER programme and the outcome of this review will help to inform the design of the new LEADER programme. I expect to receive a report in this regard in the coming weeks.

In addition, and in conjunction with colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, a further public consultation on the draft CSP interventions, which includes LEADER, will be undertaken later this year.

My officials continue to work towards the development of the LEADER element of the new CSP with a view to submitting this to the EU Commission for approval in 2022 along with all the other element of the plan. My Department will continue to consult with all stakeholders as part of this process.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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237. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will increase the level of funding to the transitional Leader programme to ensure its continuity until the new programme is commenced in 2023 given the high demand under the transitional programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50194/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The LEADER programme is co-financed by the European Commission under Pillar 2 of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), through the European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).

In line with the Government’s Rural Development Policy for 2021-2025,'Our Rural Future’, I announced details of a €70 million Transitional LEADER Programme which came into effect last April and will cover the period 2021-2022. €65 million of this budget has been allocated to the LAGs who deliver the programme and approve projects at local level. This allocation covers both core project expenditure and the administration and animation costs of the LAGs. In addition, in the event that a LAG fully utilises their allocation of administration funding, they can avail of a maximum monthly contribution that will be Exchequer funded and will be available to them to the end of 2022.

A further €3 million of the funding has been allocated to support co-operation projects and innovation between LAGs, while the remaining €2 million has been allocated to provide preparatory support for the next LEADER programme. Further funding opportunities under the LEADER Food Initiative remain in place until the entirety of funds are exhausted.

€20 million of this transitional LEADER Programme is funded by the European Union Recovery Instrument, which will enable local communities and enterprises an opportunity to respond in a community-led local development manner to COVID-19.

I am confident that this level of funding will be sufficient to continue the effective operation of the LEADER Programme through the end of 2022. My officials are in ongoing communication with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the development of the new CAP Strategic Plan which will cover the new programming period commencing in 2023.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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238. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if prior to the commencement of the new round of the Leader programme in 2023, she will review the programme guidelines to introduce a tiered system that makes it less bureaucratic for those seeking small levels of funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50196/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Our Rural Futurerepresents a new milestone in the approach to rural development policy and is the Government’s blueprint for the post-COVID recovery and development of rural Ireland over the next five years.

The LEADER programme is a key intervention to be delivered in this policy by enhancing the participation of local communities in shaping their future and building leadership and resilience.

The programme is co-funded by the EU under Pillar II the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is Ireland's Managing Authority for the CAP and thus has lead responsibility for negotiations of the new CAP which is to be introduced from 2023. My officials are engaging extensively with both DAFM and the EU Commission on the design of a new LEADER programme to form part of the new CAP Strategic Plan. My officials have also engaged extensively stakeholders in the design of the next LEADER programme.

The Programme for Government contains a commitment to reduce bureaucracy while ensuring that strong accountability and transparency mechanisms are in place to protect taxpayers’ money. As the design of the next LEADER programme develops, officials in my Department are examining how best to implement this commitment, which will, inter alia,take into consideration the outcome of consultations with all relevant stakeholders, as well as the provisions of the EU Regulations governing the new programme once they are agreed.