Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2024
813. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development what plans are in place to ensure that the LEADER Programme is expanded to include targeted sectors in rural communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10360/24]
View answerThe LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development.
It is based on a community-led approach to rural development and supports a broad range of activities which aim to respond to the diversity of the local needs of our rural areas. The Programme is designed to support initiatives that will have the greatest impact on a community’s development.
A new LEADER programme for the period 2023-2027 has now commenced across the country, and €180m has been provided for this period. When added to the €70 million made available for the transitional period 2021 to 2022 this brings the total allocated to the LEADER programme for the period 2021 to 2027 to €250 million. This maintains the level of funding provided for the 2014-2020 programming period.
The emphasis of this new programme, which builds on the many successful previous programmes, will include the continued development of the rural economy. There will also be a strong focus on building the capacity of marginalised and new communities, particularly in areas that have not benefited from LEADER financial support in the past.
I am confident that LEADER will continue to play a vital role in the coming years in delivering locally led projects which deliver very real impact for communities across the country.
