Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 January 2015
870. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the person or body responsible for the delivery of Leader grant schemes in Gaeltacht areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49477/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraFor the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme, Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta (MFG) was contracted to deliver the LEADER element of the Programme in the Gaeltacht areas. However, the company liquidated in 2011 and, following legal advice and discussions with the European Commission in late 2012, the areas which had been previously served by MFG were transferred to the contiguous Local Action Groups (LAGs). The table sets out the groups and areas involved.
|
Local Action Group |
Gaeltacht Area |
|
Comhar na nOileán |
Galway |
|
Donegal Local Development Company |
Donegal |
|
Mayo North East LEADER Partnership |
North Mayo Gaeltacht |
|
Meath Partnership |
Meath |
|
North & East Kerry LEADER Partnership |
North Kerry Gaeltacht |
|
South Kerry Development Partnership |
South Kerry Gaeltacht |
|
South West Mayo Development Company |
South Mayo Gaeltacht |
|
Waterford LEADER Partnership |
Waterford |
|
West Cork Development Partnership |
Cork |
In the context of the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme, I am anxious that the implementation of the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme reflects a community led approach in so far as is possible and in order to ensure this, each sub-regional area will be responsible for determining its own needs and will outline how it proposes to address those needs in its Local Development Strategy. This approach will also apply to those areas that contain Gaeltacht and island communities and I encourage both of these communities to ensure that they engage fully with the Local Development Strategy development processes for their respective areas to ensure that their needs and concerns are fully addressed.
