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

It is based on a community-led approach to rural development and supports a broad range of activities which aim to respond to the diversity of the local needs of our rural areas. The Programme is designed to support initiatives that will have the greatest impact on a community’s development.

A new LEADER programme for the period 2023-2027 has now commenced across the country, and €180m has been provided for this period. When added to the €70 million made available for the transitional period 2021 to 2022 this brings the total allocated to the LEADER programme for the period 2021 to 2027 to €250 million. This maintains the level of funding provided for the 2014-2020 programming period.

The emphasis of this new programme, which builds on the many successful previous programmes, will include the continued development of the rural economy. There will also be a strong focus on building the capacity of marginalised and new communities, particularly in areas that have not benefited from LEADER financial support in the past.

I am confident that LEADER will continue to play a vital role in the coming years in delivering locally led projects which deliver very real impact for communities across the country.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development. It is delivered through Local Action Groups(LAGs) and is based on a community-led approach to rural development and supports a broad range of activities that aim to respond to the needs of our rural areas over the lifetime of the policy.

The total number of projects approved in County Cork over the lifetime of the 2014-2022 LEADER Programme was 390 projects worth in excess of €17 million. Over €14 million of this has been paid to beneficiaries to date. The remainder of the funding will be paid as projects are completed and the promoters submit claims for payment to the LAGs.

The table below shows the number, value of projects approved and project expenditure under the 2014-2022 programme, broken-down by LAG area in County Cork up to the end of February 2024.

Table:

For the 2023-2027 LEADER programme County Cork has been allocated €16.8 million. When this is added to the €4.1million allocated to Cork during the Transitional period from 2021 to 2022 LEADER funding to the county has increased by almost €7 million over the previous 7 year period, 2014-2020.

I look forward to the implementation of the new LEADER programme and am confident that the level of funding provided to Cork will be sufficient to support the continued growth and development of rural communities in the area.