Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
1836. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding streams currently open to applications that provide financial assistance to projects seeking to build capacity and know-how within communities to develop low-carbon communities and engage in climate action; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16345/23]
View answerAs outlined in Our Rural Future, the LEADER programme will play a key role over the lifetime of the policy in enhancing the participation of local communities in shaping their future and building leadership and resilience. A feature of the LEADER programme is that it is based on a community-led, bottom-up approach to rural development. The current programme will close at the end of August this year in so far as new project approvals are concerned.
In October last, I was happy to announce the process to select new local action groups (LAGs) to deliver the next LEADER Programme. Eligible groups are in the process of designing a local development strategy through active consultation with local communities in their area. The strategies selected must also demonstrate alignment with national and EU policies such as the European Green Deal and Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2023.
Funding under the 2023-2027 LEADER programme will be available under a broad range of defined themes and sub-themes, which include enterprise development and job creation, rural infrastructure and social inclusion, sustainable development of the rural environment and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
The climate change capacity sub-theme will focus on providing supports that encourages greater awareness and engagement around climate change and foster the development of a greater range of local responses to climate change. However, individual project approvals will be a matter for each of the new local action groups.
My Department anticipates that the new programme will be open to applicants in Q3 of this year, following the conclusion of the LAG selection process. Interested applicants should, at that juncture, contact their LAG to discuss the eligibility of their project.
Under the Community Centre Investment Fund, my Department has also provided funding of €45 million for community centre works which includes upgrading to heating systems, energy retrofitting and the installation of new windows and doors all of which contribute to low-carbon communities and engage communities in climate action.
