Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 April 2012
918 Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider revising the current Leader Axis 3 and 4 funding rates of aid structure under the support for business creation and development and diversification into non agricultural activities programmes providing for up to 75% grant funding to non-community projects which is currently funded at 50%. [19247/12]
View answer919 Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider revising the current Leader Axis 3 and 4 funding rates of aid structure under the Village and Countryside Renewal and Development and the Encouragement of Tourism Activities providing up to 90% grant funding to community projects which is currently funded at 75%. [19248/12]
View answer930 Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there are proposals to increase the grant aid from the Leader Programme from 50% to 75% for individuals and the community rates from 75% to 90%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19535/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 918, 919 and 930 together.
Axes 3 and 4 (LEADER) of the Rural Development Programme (RDP), for which my Department has responsibility, continues to facilitate access to significant financial resources for rural communities. The main objectives of the RDP are to improve the quality of life in rural areas and facilitate the diversification of the rural economy. The RDP is designed to address directly many of the challenges facing rural communities including the need to increase economic activity and stimulate job creation; improve access to basic services for rural dwellers and encourage rural tourism based on sustainable development of natural resources. The programme is inclusive in its approach to arriving at solutions to such challenges using a "bottom up method" where local communities provide local solutions.
In general, the rates of grant aid available under the measures of the RDP are 50% for private promoters and 75% for Community promoters with some higher rates available for specific activities such as Training (100%) and Analysis and Development (90%). In the current economic climate, it has been difficult for private individuals and community groups to obtain the matched funding required to avail of this support level, particularly for larger projects.
As part of a suite of measures to address these and other issues relating to the delivery of the RDP my Department is proposing to increase the rates of aid available to both private promoters and community groups. Such changes require the approval of the European Commission and the programme change request has already been submitted to the RDP Monitoring Committee for onward submission to the Commission for consideration. The result of this process will be communicated to all Local Development Companies as soon as possible.
