Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 22 Feb 2001

Vol. 531 No. 2

Written Answers. - Leader Programmes.

Alan M. Dukes

Ceist:

81 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if, in relation to the operation of the Leader II programme in the Donegal Gaeltacht, he will give a breakdown of the expenditure of the £198,333.33 allocated to the Tir Chonnaill group by Meitheal Forbatha na Gaeltachta Teoranta for administration over the period of the Leader II Operational Programme to 1999; if he will give a similar breakdown of the expenditure of the £130,666.67 allocated to the Tir Chonnaill group by Meitheal Forbatha na Gaeltachta Teoranta for animation over the period of the Leader II Operational Programme to 1999; the projects refused funding by the board of the Tir Chonnaill group; the projects refused by his Department on referral by the board; and the names and addresses of all projects funded under the Leader II programme in the Donegal Gaeltacht; and the 15 not funded. [5223/01]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

Meitheal Forbatha na Gaeltachta Teo, MFG, is one of 34 Leader local action groups appointed to deliver the Leader II Operational Programme. The group provides service to a number of Gaeltacht areas across the country. While the group allocates funding to the areas concerned, the usage of the funding is reported centrally and input on a single computerised financial control programme as is the norm for the other Leader companies. The financial information of Leader local action groups is published in each company's annual accounts in accordance with company law. I am arranging to have a copy of the MFG accounts to be forwarded to the Deputy. In accordance with the bottom-up principle of Leader, as defined and required by the European Commission in the context of funding of the programme, the level of detail requested by the Deputy is not available to my Department.