Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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222. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which applications have been made under the LEADER programme, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26701/24]

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, which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. It supports a broad range of activities, which aim to respond to the diversity of the local needs of our rural areas.

The 2014-2022 programme has concluded and as of 31^st December 2023, over 5,800 projects with a value in excess of €243 million have been approved for LEADER funding by the Local Action Groups (LAGs). Over 90% of this funding has been paid to the project promoters and the remainder will be drawn down as projects are completed and payment claims submitted.

Details of all projects approved on a county-by-county basis and the funding allocated to them are available on my Department’s website at:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/b849be-local-action-groups-approved-projects-2014-2020/

Now that the 2023-2027 LEADER programme is commencing across the country, Local Action Groups are engaging with communities and raising awareness of the programme with prospective applicants and over the coming months I expect to see many local community projects progress to full application stage.

The thematic focus of the 2023-2027 LEADER programme will be to continue promoting economic development and job creation, to develop rural infrastructure and to support projects in the areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Over the coming years I look forward to seeing the continued delivery of LEADER projects that support the development of our rural areas and communities.