Funding of €22.950m has been provided in my Department's Vote for the CLÁR Programme in 2006. This represents an increase of over 70% on the 2005 expenditure and will allow for the expansion of the Programme into the new areas, as recently announced by me.
The Deputy should note, however, there are no set CLÁR allocations/budgets for projects co-funded under CLÁR and the LEADER Programme.
As the co-ordinators for such projects, the LEADER groups decide on the projects to be funded. Approval of CLÁR funding for projects is demand led, with all applications submitted by the LEADER groups being considered for aid, once the funding ratios and the CLÁR criteria for the scheme have been met.