Vol. 510 No. 5
110 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if the Leader II programme in County Wexford will be continued after 30 June 2000 with a future Leader III programme; if counties which are losing Objective One regional status will retain their Leader companies and present level of funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23049/99]
Leader is the EU community initiative for rural development. Draft European Commission guidelines on a new Leader initiative, termed Leader+, to which the Commission is committed under Agenda 2000, were circulated recently. My Department is participating in discussions on these guidelines and the Commission has indicated that it will finalise its new rural development initiative later this year. Until final details are agreed, I am not in a position to comment on the areas in which the new programme will operate, or the basis on which groups might be approved for funding.
