Denis Naughten
Question:197 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when he will make a decision on the new Leader+ programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21955/00]
Vol. 524 No. 2
197 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when he will make a decision on the new Leader+ programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21955/00]
198 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will approve an application currently before his Department from the Arigna Leader group for funding under the Leader+ programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21956/00]
199 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will approve funding for the mid-south Roscommon Leader group under the Leader+ programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21957/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 to 199, inclusive, together.
Leader type activity in the period to 2006 will be delivered through the European Union Leader+ programme, together with a mainstream national rural development programme. Funding of over £117 million has been allocated to these two programmes.
Work on the preparation of the operational programme for Leader+ is at an advanced stage and it is expected that it will be lodged with the European Commission in the coming weeks. The programme will also be presented to the special North-South EU programmes body for its endorsement in tandem with the Northern Ireland Leader programme.
A period of five months is provided for to facilitate the Commission's consideration of the programme prior to deciding on approval. While I will be pushing for early approval of the programme, it is unlikely that approval will be forthcoming before the end of the year.