Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1326. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the criteria used in allocating funds to each county under the forthcoming LEADER programme; the weighting or marks awarded to each criteria; the geographic area and population of the area in each county included in the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55180/22]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1329. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will detail in tabular form, in descending order, the allocation of LEADER funding for each county, per eligible population; the reason for the large disparity in the allocations on this basis to the different counties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55241/22]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1330. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she intends publishing the criteria used to allocate LEADER funding to each county under the forthcoming LEADER programme; the way these criteria were used in relation to each county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55242/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1326, 1329 and 1330 together.

LEADER is a key programme within Our Rural Future, and as I announced recently the Expression of Interest stage to select the Groups to deliver the next LEADER programme is now open. The allocation for each LEADER area was also announced as part of this process.

The procedure to select the LEADER groups will be open, transparent and competitive. Central to the formation of the Groups will be a clear partnership approach, with public and private interest groups coming together to deliver the programme in rural communities all across Ireland.

As you will be aware, €180 million has been committed to the new LEADER programme for 2023-2027. When taken together with the €70m provided by the Government for 2021 and 2022, this maintains the €250m funding for LEADER in the corresponding 7 year programme period of 2014-2020.

A number of factors were considered when deciding on the funding allocations. These included providing a minimum allocation of €3 million to each sub-regional area with the remaining funding distributed based on population density and level of deprivation of the area. The minimum allocation of €3m per sub-regional area accounts for €84m of the overall allocation of €180m. Of the remaining €96m, €48m is distributed based on the population density of the county compared to the national average. The remaining €48m is distributed based on the deprivation index for the county.

This approach is similar to the approach taken in the previous LEADER programme, with the relevant population and deprivation figures updated to take account of the passage of time.

This approach ensures that the funding is targeted to the rural communities most in need of LEADER support in a transparent and fair manner.

I look forward to seeing the new programme being implemented and to ensuring that LEADER can continue to deliver real benefits to rural communities across Ireland.

The funding allocation to each county is provided in Table 1 below.

Table 1

2023-2027 LEADER Funding Allocations by county in descending order

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1327. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extra funding allocated under the forthcoming LEADER programme to counties with inhabited offshore islands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55181/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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LEADER is a key programme within Our Rural Future, and as I announced recently the Expression of Interest stage to select the Groups to deliver the next LEADER programme is now open. The allocations for each LEADER area were also announced as part of this process.

€180 million has been committed to the new LEADER programme for 2023-2027. When taken together with the €70m provided by the Government for 2021 and 2022, this maintains the €250m funding for LEADER in the corresponding 7 year programme period of 2014-2020.

A number of factors were considered when deciding on the funding allocations. These included providing a minimum allocation of €3 million to each sub-regional area with the remaining funding distributed based on population density and level of deprivation of the area. The off-shore islands will continue to be aligned with their relevant sub-regional area with the funding provision for the islands included in the overall allocation for the sub-regional area based on the population density and level of deprivation of the county as a whole.

However, I am aware that island communities have particular needs and priorities and, within the context of the emerging National Islands Policy, I envisage that the LEADER programme can play a key role in delivering on these needs.

In recognition of this, a number of important elements are included in the model for the new programme.

Any LAGs selected in an area that includes island communities will be required to identify in their LEADER strategy specific actions developed in consultation with the island communities themselves and include an indicative budget to implement such actions.

In addition, a representative of the island grouping, in each sub-regional area, must be included in the decision-making body of the LAG.

It is important that the key public and private stakeholders in communities across Ireland come together in partnership to deliver the new LEADER programme.

I look forward to seeing the new programme being implemented and to ensuring that LEADER can continue to deliver real benefits to rural communities across Ireland including our island communities.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1328. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the percentage of the LEADER funding allocated to each county that can be spent on administration and the percentage that can be spent on animation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55240/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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LEADER is a key programme within Our Rural Future, and as announced recently the Expression of Interest stage to select the Groups to deliver the next LEADER programme is now open. The allocation for each LEADER area was also announced as part of this process.

€180 million has been committed to the new LEADER programme for 2023-2027. When taken together with the €70m provided by the Government for 2021 and 2022, this maintains the €250m funding for LEADER in the corresponding 7 year programme period of 2014-2020.

Article 34 of the EU Common Provisions Regulation (2021/1061) allows for support to be provided for the administration costs of the Local Action Groups(LAGs) and the cost of their engagement with communities to generate projects, which is also referred to as "animation" costs.

In line with this Regulation, the maximum percentage of funding that can be spent by the LAGs on administration and animation is 25% of the LEADER expenditure incurred in the delivery of their Local Development Strategy (LDS).

The division of the available funding on each of these elements will be a matter for each individual LAG subject to the maximum limit not being breached.

I look forward to seeing the new programme being implemented and to ensuring that LEADER can continue to deliver real benefits to rural communities across Ireland.