Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 25 Nov 1998

Vol. 497 No. 3

Written Answers - Leader Programmes.

John Perry

Ceist:

111 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will allocate additional funds to Sligo Leader Partnership Company due to the huge amount of eligible projects on its books (details supplied); his attention has been drawn to the fact that it will be only allocating money to projects when commitments are made; if his attention has further been drawn to the huge impact it has achieved with projects with job creation potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25104/98]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh):

My Department has completed a comprehensive review of expenditure under the Leader programme and has identified funding arising from savings under certain measures and monetary adjustments which is available for allocation among the approved groups. The precise amount available has not yet been finalised but it will represent a relatively small amount by comparison to the £87.6 million which has been allocated to the groups to date. I will be submitting proposals to Government shortly for the allocation of the funds available and I can not give a commitment to any groups at this stage.

In accordance with the bottom-up philosophy of the Leader programme, the implementation of local business plans and the management of funds available, which in each case is limited and known to groups for some considerable time, is a matter for each group.