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LEADER Programmes Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 January 2019

Tuesday, 22 January 2019

Questions (598)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

598. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the financial allocations in each of the years under the 2014 to 2020 Rural Development Programme per measure 19 support for LEADER local development; the annual amount expended on the programme in each year of the RDP to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2379/19]

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Written answers

LEADER, which is referred to at EU level as Measure 19 of the Rural Development Programme, forms part of Ireland's Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and has a total budget of €250 million over the period in question.  €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 to be delivered at a national level. 

The funding which has been allocated to the LAGs is provided for the 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 overall expenditure incurred each year to date under the programme.  This expenditure includes the initial costs incurred by the LAGs in developing their Local Development Strategies in the early years of the programme, LAG administration costs and the cost of their engagement with communities to generate projects, and project expenditure itself.

Expenditure and project approvals under LEADER have increased significantly over the last year.  A total of 1,644 projects have now been approved by the LAGs for funding of over €55.8 million since the programme began. A further 355 projects with a combined value in excess of €22 million are currently within the approvals process. The level of project expenditure under the programme is expected to increase further in 2019 as payment claims are submitted in respect of these project approvals.  

Table 1: LEADER 2014-2020 Expenditure broken down per year

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Total Programme Expenditure

2015

€1,251,185.25

2016

€1,260,920.54

2017

€12,123,851.06

2018

€22,983,712.69

2019

€453,201.43

Total

€38,072,870.97

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