Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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133. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the design and delivery of the next Leader programme will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18049/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The LEADER Programme is one of the key interventions of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development launched last year.

The draft CAP Strategic Plan, which includes LEADER, was submitted to the EU Commission by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine at the end of December 2021. This is in line with the timelines set by the EU Commission.

The process of negotiating and agreeing the plan with the EU Commission has thus commenced. The timeline for implementation of the new LEADER Programme is closely linked to this process.

Accordingly, my officials will continue to work closely with colleagues from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and the EU Commission over the coming months with a view to obtaining approval for the CAP Strategic Plan, as a matter of priority.

Preparations for the design and delivery of the next LEADER programme from 2023-2027 are underway and my officials are also engaging with stakeholders in this regard.

The ongoing engagement and consultation combined with the funding allocation ensures that the LEADER programme from 2023 will continue to support and further develop our rural communities and businesses.