Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1951. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding allocations and spending for each county with regard to the Interim LEADER programme funding for 2021-2022, in tabular form. [19785/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In December 2020, I launched the Transitional LEADER Programme, which came into effect on 1st April 2021 and will run to the end of 2022. A total of €70 million is being made available over this programming period. €65 million of this budget is available to Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver the programme and approve projects at local level.  This funding is distributed between the LAGs on a pro-rata basis, commensurate with the allocations made at the start of the 2014-2020 LEADER programme. 

A further €3 million of the funding has been allocated to support co-operation projects and innovation between LAGs, while the remaining €2 million will be provided to support strategy development for the next LEADER programme.  

Table 1 below provides details of the allocation available to each LAG for the entire Transitional LEADER Programme period 2021-2022. The expenditure figures relate to funding drawn down to date in each LAG area relevant to the Transitional LEADER programme in the period 1^stApril 2021 to 1^stApril 2022.  This includes payments in respect of completed project activity and the administration cost of the LAGs associated with the delivery of the Transitional LEADER programme.  

Once a project is approved for funding the promoter is afforded time to complete the approved works and submit claims for payment of grant funding. In this regard it should be noted that throughout period in question, the LAGs have also draw down funding in respect of completed works for projects approved under the 2014-2020 LEADER programme. 

The project funding available under the Transitional LEADER Programme continues to be allocated by the LAGs on an ongoing basis.  Figures related to such allocations are not included in the expenditure column below as they have not yet resulted in a drawdown in funding.  I am confident that the level of funding available will be sufficient to meet the demand from rural communities and businesses and to continue the effective operation of the Transitional LEADER Programme through to the end of 2022. 

Table 1: Funding Allocations and Expenditure for the Transitional LEADER Programme