Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 September 2013
90. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to ensure that there is provision for State matching funding for EU rural development funds available in 2014 to maximise the funding available to farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39513/13]
View answerUnder the Rural Development Programme 2007 - 2013 [RDP] a total of €2.9 Bn of EAFRD funding was allocated at programme level. This was subsequently allocated at axis level under the programme financial plan. Since the launch of the RDP, expenditure under the programme has amounted to close on €3.74bn. This represents close on 77.6% of the total value of the Programme which is €4.82bn and 83% of the EAFRD amount. The programme, elements of which will continue to attract funding in 2014 and 2015, like all national spending, is subject to ongoing budgetary constraints but is configured to maximise all available EU funding.
Ireland’s draw down rate under the Programme has been among the highest of EU Member States over the lifetime of the current Programme. Spending under a number of measures may continue until the end of 2015 and this will provide considerable scope to allow all measures to spend up to their full allocation. Adjustments have already been made to the RDP financial plan and will continue to be made to the end of the Programme in order to achieve the fullest possible draw down of available funds.
For the next Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020 preparatory work has commenced. Based on an extensive consultation and evaluation process the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will prepare a draft programme. Measures to be included in the Programme must flow from this development process. The European Council agreement on the MFF provides €313 million per year to Ireland under Pillar 2 of the CAP, a total allocation of €2.190bn for the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020. The text of the Rural Development regulation is being finalised and final agreement on the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) Reform and the MFF is not expected until late 2013 when the European Parliament decides at Plenary Session. As with the current and previous RDPs this Department will aim to maximise the drawdown of the allocated EAFRD funding in 2014 and beyond.
