Under the EU regulatory framework governing the Leader element of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, each EU Member State must conduct an open and transparent process to select both the Local Development Strategies and the Local Action Group(s) for each sub-regional area. Accordingly, my Department is conducting a two stage process. The first stage, which is an Expressions of Interest (EOI) stage, was recently launched and any entity wishing to be considered as a Local Action Group for their area has until 15 May 2015 to submit an EOI. Further details are available on my Department’s website at:http://www.environ.ie/en/Community/RuralDevelopment/EURuralDevelopment/RuralDevelopmentProgrammeLEADER2014-2020/SelectionProcessforLEADER2014-2020/.
Local Action Groups and Local Development Strategies will be selected by an independent selection committee, established specifically for that purpose. Entities successful in the first stage of the process will be invited and supported in stage two of the process, which is the design of a Local Development Strategy for their area. I expect that some Local Development Strategies will be operational and funding available for these by Autumn 2015.
At this stage it would not be appropriate for me to speculate as to the outcome of the Leader Local Development Strategy selection process. However, all expressions of interest will be considered within the framework outlined in the process detailed above.
