Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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111. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the consideration that has been given to the annual rollout of the LEADER food initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26330/25]

Dara 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 total amount of funding allocated to LEADER for the period of 2021-2027 is €250 million. This funding is made up of €70 million for the Transitional LEADER programme for the years 2021 and 2022, and €180 million for the 2023-2027 LEADER programme, maintaining the level of funding at €250 million for the 7 year period, in line with the previous 2014-2020 LEADER programme.

The 2014-2020 LEADER programme dedicated €15 million of the €250 million budget to the LEADER Food Initiative (LFI), to support the continued development of food and beverage businesses throughout rural Ireland. Funding for LFI projects was applied for by LAGs if applicants in their area had suitable projects, and projects were then jointly approved by my Department and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

For the 2023-2027 LEADER programme, all funding was allocated to the LAGs at the outset of the programme and this approach provides them with greater flexibility to manage their budgets over the programming period and more autonomy to approve projects in line with local needs, including projects that support food and beverage businesses. There are no plans to have a standalone LEADER Food Initiative under this programme.