Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 February 2012
189 Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when a new administration structure in place of Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta Teo. will be in place to distribute LEADER funding in Gaeltacht areas; the amount of LEADER funding approved in Gaeltacht areas, over the past six months, that is September 2011 to February 2012 in comparison to the previous six months April to August 2011. [10242/12]
View answerMeitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta (MFG), the group contracted by my Department to deliver Axes 3 & 4 (LEADER) of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) in Gaeltacht Areas, went into liquidation on 7 September 2011. Progress is ongoing in the context of the legal "winding up" process and all relevant RDP (LEADER) project files have been released by the liquidator and are now with my Department. All project promoters will be contacted shortly.
While no final solution has been reached with regard to the delivery of Axes 3 and 4 (LEADER) of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) in Gaeltacht Areas a likely solution has been identified and my Department will begin a consultation process with the relevant stakeholders shortly. My intention is that any alternative delivery mechanism will be efficient and effective and applied at the earliest possible opportunity. All relevant stakeholders will be informed as soon as an appropriate solution is finalised.
The information sought regarding the amount of LEADER funding approved in Gaeltacht areas from April to August 2011 is not readily available and will be provided to the Deputy when compiled. Since MFG Teo went into liquidation in September 2011 no LEADER funding has been approved in Gaeltacht areas.
190 Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the full amount of funding owed to Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta Teo by Pobal before the company entered liquidation. [10243/12]
View answerMeitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta Teo (MFG) confirmed that its Board, upon examination of the company's financial situation, took the decision to cease trading on 7 September 2011 on the basis of insolvency and the company is now in liquidation. As the matter is now in the hands of the Liquidator, I am not in a position to comment on the financial status of the company.
