Holly Cairns
Question:45. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps she is taking to increase the amount of funding for communities available under the LEADER Programme 2023-2027. [8662/22]
View answerThursday, 17 February 2022
Questions (45)
Written answers
An indicative budget of €180 million is allocated for the LEADER Programme for the period 2023-2027. With the €70 million already provided for 2021 and 2022 under the Transitional LEADER Programme, a total of €250 million will be made available for the 2021 - 2027 period, thus maintaining the level of funding provided for the 2014-2020 programming period.
The LEADER Programme is one of the key interventions of Our Rural Future, the Government’s policy for rural development launched last year. This policy also sets out to deliver on a range of actions for our rural communities into the future.
It is of note that recent years have seen record levels of investment in rural development initiatives and schemes. A range of new and targeted schemes have been implemented, such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Walks Scheme and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.
Budget 2022 also saw increases secured across all my Department's rural schemes and the National Development Plan (NDP) outlines a clear commitment to a continuation of investment in Rural Ireland as a matter of priority. Capital funding allocations for my Department have seen an increase from €88m in 2018 to €205m in 2025 under the NDP.
This level of funding, combined with the LEADER indicative allocation for 2023-2027, will continue to support and further develop our rural communities and businesses and to deliver on the vision for rural Ireland set out in Our Rural Future.