Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 7 September 2018
1196. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the financial allocations on an annual basis under the 2014-2020 rural development programme as per measure 19 support for Leader local development; the annual amount expended on the programme in each year of the rural development programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36937/18]
View answerLEADER, which is referred to at EU level as Measure 19, forms part of Ireland's Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. Ireland's LEADER programme has a total budget of €250 million over the period to 2020. €220 million of this funding has been allocated to the Local Action Groups (LAGs) throughout the country who deliver the LEADER programme. The remaining €30 million is available for schemes which will be delivered at a national level.
The funding which has been allocated to the LAGs is provided for the whole duration of the programme, rather than on an annual basis. This provides greater flexibility to the LAGs in managing their resources.
Table 1 below details the funding allocations provided to LAGs by county under the 2014-2020 LEADER programme. The LEADER areas are, in the main, aligned with the county boundaries. However, County Cork includes three LEADER sub-regional areas.
Table 2 details the overall expenditure incurred each year to date under the programme.
Project approvals under LEADER have increased significantly this year and a total of 1,265 projects have now been approved by the LAGs for funding of almost €38.4 million. A further 335 projects with a combined value in excess of €20 million are currently within the approvals process. The level of project expenditure under the programme is therefore expected to increase significantly as payment claims are submitted to my Department through the LAGs in respect of these projects.
Table 1: LEADER 2014-2020 Allocations per County
|
County |
Programme Allocation (€) |
|
Carlow |
6,416,803.43 |
|
Cavan |
8,522,285.84 |
|
Clare |
8,920,224.65 |
|
Cork |
13,938,823.22 |
|
Donegal |
12,913,877.86 |
|
Dublin |
6,370,438.43 |
|
Galway |
12,195,883.61 |
|
Kerry |
10,219,868.29 |
|
Kildare |
5,261,600.01 |
|
Kilkenny |
7,791,572.91 |
|
Laois |
7,124,586.86 |
|
Leitrim |
5,998,474.74 |
|
Limerick |
9,276,593.96 |
|
Longford |
7,597,623.07 |
|
Louth |
6,101,862.01 |
|
Mayo |
11,121,431.88 |
|
Meath |
6,903,123.57 |
|
Monaghan |
7,592,719.51 |
|
Offaly |
8,036,763.90 |
|
Roscommon |
8,852,659.22 |
|
Sligo |
7,655,647.81 |
|
Tipperary |
10,103,443.28 |
|
Waterford |
7,522,796.18 |
|
Westmeath |
7,384,206.22 |
|
Wexford |
9,840,140.56 |
|
Wicklow |
6,336,549.00 |
|
TOTAL |
€220,000,000 |
Table 2: LEADER 2014-2020 Expenditure broken down per year
|
Total Programme Expenditure |
|
|
2015 |
€1,251,185.25 |
|
2016 |
€1,260,920.54 |
|
2017 |
€12,123,851.06 |
|
2018 |
€11,168,678.71 |
|
Total |
€25,804,635.56 |
