Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 9 Jul 1992

Vol. 422 No. 5

Written Answers. - Leader Projects.

Dick Spring

Question:

52 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will give details on a county by county basis of (1) the successful applicants for LEADER projects (2) when these projects will commence and (3) the total value of these projects for rural development; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

Many of the 16 successful Leader applicants, operate across county boundaries and cover areas in 22 counties. The counties involved and the number of groups active in each county are as follows:

County	Number of successful applicant groups
Carlow	1
Cavan	1
Clare	1
Cork	3
Donegal	2
Galway	1
Kerry	2
Kildare	1
Kilkenny	1
Laois	1
Leitrim	1
Limerick	1
Mayo	3
Meath	1
Monaghan	1
Offaly	1
Roscommon	1
Sligo	2
Tipperary	2
Waterford	1
Wexford	1
Wicklow	1

During the last two months or so contracts have been signed with 15 of the 16 successful applicant groups which enable them to proceed to implement their business plans. I expect that the contract with the remaining group will be signed during the next few days.

Advance payments amounting to £3.32 million have already been made to ten of the Leader groups. Several of the groups are at an advanced stage of approving grant aid for local projects.

The total aid to the successful groups is £35 million (£21 million EC and £14 million national). The anticipated total expenditure by groups, taking account of private investment, is about £70 million.