Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 September 2020
247. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Community and Rural Development and the Islands if further administration, project and animation funding will be provided to the LAGs administering Leader for the years from 2021 until a new Leader programme is in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24539/20]
View answerThe LEADER Programme is co-funded by the European Commission under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The current programming period concludes in December 2020.
Proposals for new regulations for the CAP 2021-2027 were launched in June 2018 by the European Commission. However, given the nature of the discussions on the CAP and the wider EU Budget post-2020, there has been a delay in adopting these proposals. This means that the next LEADER programme will not now commence until January 2022 at the earliest.
As a result of the delays in agreeing new CAP regulations, the European Commission has published proposals for transitional measures to allow for continuity between the programming periods of 2014-2020 and 2021-2027.
The transitional regulation is still under negotiation and there are a number of issues yet to be resolved over the coming months, including the duration of the transitional period.
The Programme for Government includes a provision to bridge the gap between the current LEADER programme and the next programme. Decisions relating to funding for projects, administration and animation costs until the new LEADER programme is operational will be taken in the coming months having regard, inter alia, to any transitional arrangements that may be agreed at European level.
