Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 March 2014
208. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline co-funding arrangements for the rural development programme 2014-2020; if he is satisfied that the arrangements will maximise the available funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12726/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs you will be aware, on 14 January I announced a number of decisions in relation to the implementation of the new CAP. This included details in relation to proposed measure outlines for inclusion in the new Rural Development Programme (RDP) for the period 2014-2020 as well as an outline of the National Exchequer funding for the new RDP.
The agreement reached on the Multiannual Financial Framework provides for a total allocation of EU funding of €2.19 billion (€313m per annum over 7 years) to Ireland for a new RDP. Regulation 1305/2013 on Support for Rural Development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) provides that at least 5% of this allocation must be allocated to projects delivered under the LEADER mechanism. Following consultation with my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, 7% of the available EU allocation (some €153 million) has been allocated to LEADER. Thus, €2.037 billion of the EU funding is allocated to measures to be delivered via the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The Government has shown its commitment to a strategic investment in Rural Ireland and the agri-food sector by providing matching National Exchequer funding at the rate of 46% to supplement the €2.037 billion EU allocation. In addition to this money, there is also an allocation of some €170 million from the current RDP to be spent in 2014 and 2015. When taken in conjunction with the allocation of funding for LEADER measures, this represents a fund of over €4 billion for investment in rural development measures in the period to 2020.
