Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 June 2017
155. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the value of projects approved fully to date under the Leader programme 2014 to 2020 broken down by local action group; the expenditure by her Department on projects to date by LAG; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26380/17]
View answerExpenditure of approximately €2.509 million has been incurred to date in 2017 under the LEADER 2014-2020 programme. This represents expenditure incurred on administration and animation costs by the Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver the programme in each LEADER sub-regional area.
While no project expenditure has yet been paid out by my Department under the 2014-2020 LEADER programme, I understand that more than 4,800 expressions of interest from potential applicants, with an estimated value of over €200 million, have been recorded on the LEADER ICT system. The LAGs are currently working through these expressions of interest with a view to assisting project promoters in developing and finalising project applications.
To date 46 projects have been fully approved for LEADER funding by the LAGs. The total value for these projects is €786,313. A breakdown of this figure by sub-regional area is provided on Table 1.
Approximately 40 further projects, with a value of over €800,000, are at the final stages of the approval process.
On the basis of the progress now being made by the LAGs, I anticipate a significant increase in project approvals and payments under LEADER over the coming months.
In addition, on 17 May last, I hosted a forum with participants from all of the Local Action Groups and the Local Development Companies delivering LEADER to explore the administrative issues impacting on project approvals and to identify potential solutions to the issues identified.
The forum was very productive and participants identified a number of areas where they felt procedures could be streamlined and where the burden on project applicants could be reduced. My Department will shortly introduce a number of the changes suggested by participants. I am confident that these changes will further contribute to an increase in the level of project approvals.
Table 1: Project Approval by LAG Area
|
Local Action Group |
No. of Projects approved for LEADER funding |
Value of Projects approved for LEADER funding |
|
Carlow |
2 |
€59,140.00 |
|
Kilkenny |
8 |
€124,956.38 |
|
Laois |
4 |
€51,107.00 |
|
Offaly |
21 |
€228,721.46 |
|
Sligo |
9 |
€315,248.27 |
|
Westmeath |
2 |
€7,140.15 |
|
Total |
46 |
€786,313.26 |
