The main objectives of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) are to improve the quality of life in rural areas and facilitate the diversification of the rural economy, and the individual measures under the Programme, including indicative allocations, are as follows
Diversification into non-agricultural activities for farm families — €16.66m;
Support for business creation and development — €48.26m;
Encouragement of tourism activities — €45.4m;
Basic services for the economy and rural population — €49.61m;
Village renewal and development — €54.2m;
Conservation and upgrading of the rural heritage — €51.7m;
Training and information on adapted and new skills — €29.45m; and
Implementing co-operation projects — €10.7m.
Details of the expenditure to date under each programme measure and for each Local Action Group (LAG) are set out in Tables 1 and 2 below. I consider that the provision of details in relation to each individual project for each one of the 36 LAGs would not be feasible in the time frame available. If, however, the Deputy requires information in relation to any particular project or area, I will be glad to seek to facilitate such a request.
I am pleased with the progress to date under the RDP, which continues to facilitate access to significant financial resources for rural communities since it started in 2009. This has resulted in the proliferation of innovative and sustainable development projects all over the country, which are providing invaluable support to rural communities in these difficult times, and there is no question of funds being diverted away from the RDP.
The RDP currently has registered project activity of €71 million, with almost €30 million at an advanced stage of development. Expenditure to date amounts to almost €47 million, which includes funding for a diverse range of projects from support for micro-enterprise in rural areas to the build and maintenance of community infrastructure and the provision of training in a variety of disciplines for rural dwellers. I am confident that all of the activity funded under the RDP to date is contributing to the creation of the right conditions for the generation of sustainable, long-term job opportunities in rural areas.
My Department and I will be working closely with Minister Batt O'Keeffe and his Department in the coming months to promote increased co-operation between LAGs and County Enterprise Boards in order to ensure that we maximise the impact of all of the funding available and fully support enterprise and job creation in rural areas. I can assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to work with rural communities through their LAGs to explore all possible funding opportunities under the RDP.
Table 1: Expenditure to date under each RDP programme measure
RDP Measure
|
Project Expenditure to Date
|
|
€
|
Diversification into non-agricultural activities
|
686,377.97
|
Business creation and development
|
3,755,876.42
|
Encouragement of tourism activities
|
3,267,031.92
|
Basic services for the economy and rural population
|
11,365,022.57
|
Village renewal and development
|
2,620,648.56
|
Conservation and upgrading of the rural heritage
|
1,814,746.53
|
Training and information
|
1,758,472.84
|
Skills acquisition, animation and implementation of local development strategies
|
28,255.07
|
Implementing co-operation projects
|
154,397.44
|
Total
|
25,450,829.32
|
Table 2: Expenditure to date under the RDP for each Local Action Group (LAG)
LAG
|
Programme Expenditure to date
|
|
€
|
Avondhu Blackwater Partnership Ltd.
|
1,535,878.61
|
Ballyhoura Development Ltd.
|
1,745,075.04
|
Carlow County Development Partnership Lt
|
1,255,124.57
|
Cavan-Monaghan LEADER
|
828,752.78
|
Cill Dara Ar Aghaidh Teo
|
684,218.56
|
Clare Local Development Company Ltd.
|
1,681,835.50
|
Co Kilkenny LEADER Partnership
|
1,251,918.42
|
Co Wicklow Community Partnership
|
1,072,591.24
|
Co. Sligo LEADER Partnership Company Ltd
|
2,095,454.64
|
Comhar na nOileáin Teoranta
|
672,895.50
|
Donegal Local Development Company Ltd.
|
1,394,561.43
|
Fingal LEADER Partnership Co.
|
564,014.58
|
FORUM Connemara Ltd.
|
717,963.27
|
Galway Rural Development Company
|
1,794,759.47
|
Inishowen Development Partnership
|
1,004,285.89
|
IRD Duhallow Ltd.
|
1,630,933.79
|
Laois Community and Enterprise Dev
|
740,663.20
|
Leitrim Integrated Development Co Ltd
|
1,131,829.95
|
Longford Community Resources Ltd
|
991,224.16
|
Louth LEADER Partnership
|
1,151,552.28
|
Mayo North East LEADER Partnership Co.
|
1,694,305.40
|
Meath Community Rural and Social Dev.
|
1,536,154.96
|
Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta
|
1,857,990.59
|
North East Kerry LEADER Partnership Teo
|
1,331,696.00
|
North Tipperary LEADER Partnership
|
1,027,494.09
|
Offaly Integrated Local Dev Co. Ltd.
|
1,385,294.42
|
Roscommon Integrated Development Company
|
1,587,451.84
|
South and East Cork Area Dev Ltd.
|
1,349,320.64
|
South Kerry Development Ltd.
|
1,119,151.43
|
South Tipperary Local Development Co Ltd
|
1,312,129.57
|
South West Mayo Development Company Ltd
|
1,508,374.56
|
Waterford LEADER Partnership Ltd.
|
1,120,273.00
|
West Cork Development Partnership Ltd.
|
1,645,898.94
|
West Limerick Resources Ltd
|
1,089,945.25
|
Westmeath Community Development Ltd
|
1,124,124.07
|
Wexford Local Development
|
1,988,081.28
|
Total
|
46,623,218.92
|