Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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1154. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the approvals to date by the local action groups of funding for projects under the LEADER programme by County Cork local action groups; the amount of expenditure to date on projects by County Cork local action groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37732/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The 2014-2020 LEADER programme for Ireland had an allocation of €250 million. €225 million of this budget was allocated to Local Action Groups (LAGs) who delivered the programme and approve projects at local level. This allocation covered both core project expenditure and the administration costs of the LAG.

For the purposes of the LEADER Programme, County Cork was divided into 3 sub-regional areas, with a LAG in each area delivering separate Local Development Strategies.

The deadline for project commitments under the 2014-2020 programme was extended to the end of March 2021 to facilitate the full allocation of the funds available to the LAGs.

The amount allocated to Co. Cork for that period was €14.4 million.

In line with the ‘Our Rural Future’ – the Government’s Rural Development Policy for 2021-2025, I announced an increased allocation of €70 million for the Transitional LEADER Programme which came into effect in April 2021 and will cover the period 2021-2022, with a successor programme to commence in 2023.

€65 million of this budget is available to Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver the programme and approve projects at local level. This allocation covers both core project expenditure and the administration costs of the LAGs.

A further €3 million of the funding was allocated to support Co-operation projects and innovation between LAGs, while the remaining €2 million will be provided to provide preparatory support for the next LEADER programme. Funds allocated under the LEADER Food Initiative budget are exhausted since December 2021.

The amount allocated to Co. Cork under the transitional programme is €4.1 million. This allocation is provided on a pro-rata basis, commensurate with the allocations made at the start of the 2014-2020 LEADER programme. Project approvals are ongoing under the Transitional Programme and final claims for payment must be submitted to the Department no later than 30 June 2024.

Table 1 below shows the overall LEADER allocation by LAG, number and value of projects approved, together with project expenditure, broken-down by LAG area in County Cork up to 4^thJuly 2022.