I refer to the reply to Question No. 173 of 3 July 2013.
There are 35 Local Action Groups contracted, on my Department’s behalf, to deliver the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (RDP) throughout the country and these groups are the principal decision-makers in relation to the allocation of project funding. Projects funded under the Conservation and Upgrading measure of the RDP are also subject to the EU State Aid framework and in accordance with the State Aid rules/‘de minimis’ (Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1998/2006) the overall limit of ‘de minimis’ aid cannot exceed €200,000 over any three year period under the Conservation and Upgrading of the Rural Heritage measure of the RDP. This applies to any promoter/organisation that applies for funding under the conservation measure of the RDP including the Irish Landmark Trust.
It is possible to seek derogation in relation to the Conservation and Upgrading of the Rural Heritage measure. However, the Programme amendment process, as stipulated in the regulatory framework, is quite complex and can take some time to complete with no guarantee that the amendment submitted would be approved by the European Commission. As funding commitments under the current Programme are closing at the end of the 2013 there would not be enough time remaining to facilitate the programme change process for the current programming period. My Department will consider this issue when developing the framework for the Rural Development Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period.
