Written answers

Tuesday, 20 May 2025

Department of Rural and Community Development

Departmental Programmes

Photo of Cathal CroweCathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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943. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the cumulative funding provided in each local authority since 2020 to date in 2025 under LEADER, in tabular form. [25976/25]

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The current LEADER Programme runs to 2027 and is now up and running across the country. It supports a broad range of enterprises and community groups to develop projects which improve the quality of life and economic activity in rural areas. It is delivered through Local Action Groups (LAGs) across rural Ireland, facilitating a community-led, bottom-up approach to rural development.

The LEADER programme is co-financed by the European Commission under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), through the European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development. It is a multi-annual programme, with overall allocations being linked to a programming period, rather than an annual basis.

Generally, the funding is allocated to the LAGs at the outset of the programme to provide them with greater flexibility to manage their budgets over the programming period. Funding is then paid out by my Department as costs are incurred and claims for payment are submitted.

The table below provides the allocation of funding by county, on a programme basis. (Figures provided on county basis as the local authority is not included in the LAG in every county). Additionally, some initiatives, such as the LEADER food initiative and co-operation measure, had standalone processes and were not allocated in advance, these are not captured in the table below.

Photo of Cathal CroweCathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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944. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the cumulative funding provided in each local authority since 2020 to date in 2025 under the CLÁR, in tabular form. [25977/25]

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation over a defined period.

Between 2020 and 2024, almost €42 million was awarded through local authorities for over 1000 projects nationwide under the CLÁR programme.

Applications under the 2025 CLÁR programme are currently under review by my Department and I look forward to announcing the successful projects later this year.

The table at the following link outlines the funding granted through each local authority between 2020 and 2024. There is a smaller number of projects funded via bodies outside of the local authorities which are not included in these figures.

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