The Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) supports the actions of EU countries to provide material / food assistance to the most deprived. Funding of €3.8 billion is available via the Fund between 2014 and 2020. Each Member State has to match this with a minimum of 15% national funding.
The total value of the fund in Ireland for the period 2014 to 2020 is €26.7m, €4m of which will come from the Irish Exchequer.
The distribution of FEAD product in Ireland began in July 2016. The delay was due to the need to ensure that suitable governance and distribution procedures were in place. Reimbursements are made in arrears and to date my Department has made two successful claims for reimbursement from the EU. A third claim for reimbursement will be made before the end of 2019. The breakdown of payments from the exchequer and EU reimbursements are set out in table 1.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Table 1: FEAD breakdown between Exchequer Funding and EU Reimbursements 2014 - 2019
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
Exchequer
Funding
|
Nil
|
€35,664
|
€1.9m
|
€2.9
|
€5.5m
|
€4.6m
|
EU Reimbursement
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
€4.6m
|
€261,925
|