Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 October 2014
221. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out the number of proposed local action groups for the delivery of the next Leader programme 2014-20; the geographic area involved in each case; the population of each area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39696/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the overall draft Rural Development Programme for Ireland for the period 2014 – 2020, which was submitted to the European Commission in July 2014, the 5 main cities of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Waterford and Limerick have been excluded. In addition, the governing EU Regulations require that areas to be covered by Local Development Strategies under the LEADER element of the Programme should have a minimum population of 10,000 and a maximum of 150,000. In that regard 28 sub-regional areas have been designated to be covered by Local Development Strategies, which if selected, will be implemented by Local Action Groups. In summary, there will be one per county with the exception of County Cork where the population level requires at least three Local Development Strategies.
The draft Programme also indicated that towns with populations in excess of 15,000 might also be excluded. Following the submission of the draft Programme to the European Commission, my Department conducted an additional consultation process and on foot of submissions received. I am now considering allowing the eligible area to be determined by the local development strategy, within the 28 designated areas and the population limits set by the governing EU regulations. I expect to be in a position to make a final decision regarding this issue shortly.
