Expenditure of approximately €1.35 million has been incurred to date in 2017 under the LEADER 2014-2020 programme. This represents expenditure incurred on administration and animation costs by the Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver the programme.
While no project expenditure has yet been incurred under the LEADER 2014-2020 programme, the LAGs are currently concluding calls for proposals and are working with potential applicants to develop and finalise project applications in each LEADER sub-regional area.
To date, 15 projects have been approved for LEADER funding with a total value of €308,136.37. A breakdown of these approvals is provided on Table 1.
A total of 3,953 Expressions of Interest from potential applicants, with an estimated value of over €183 million, have been recorded on the LEADER ICT system in respect of the new programme. Table 2 provides a breakdown of the Expressions of Interest received in each sub-regional area.
On the basis of the progress now being made by the LAGs, I anticipate a significant increase in project approvals and payments over the coming months.
Table 1 – Projects approved to date for funding under LEADER 2014-2020
Local Action Group
|
No. of Projects approved for LEADER funding
|
Value of Projects approved for LEADER funding
|
Kilkenny
|
2
|
€43,250.00
|
Laois
|
1
|
€23,062.00
|
Offaly
|
11
|
€117,437.86
|
Sligo
|
1
|
€124,386.51
|
Total
|
15
|
€308,136.37
|
Table 2 – Expressions of Interest (EOIs) recorded under LEADER 2014-2020
Local Action Group
|
No. of EOIs received
|
Value of EOIs received
|
Carlow
|
70
|
€3,883,573.00
|
Cavan
|
173
|
€7,222,828.85
|
Clare
|
274
|
€ 9,735,628.15
|
Cork North
|
128
|
€ 6,002,822.90
|
Cork South
|
66
|
€ 2,189,356.25
|
Cork West
|
98
|
€ 2,839,139.00
|
Donegal
|
296
|
€ 11,169,196.80
|
Dublin
|
19
|
€1,337,200.00
|
West Galway *
|
0
|
0
|
Kerry
|
488
|
€11,630,147.26
|
Kildare *
|
0
|
0
|
Kilkenny
|
148
|
€15,775,793.00
|
Laois
|
65
|
€ 164,500.00
|
Leitrim
|
187
|
€ 9,045,494.08
|
Limerick
|
94
|
€ 8,011,029.12
|
Longford
|
80
|
€ 245,246.25
|
Louth
|
84
|
€ 3,107,132.89
|
Mayo
|
451
|
€ 23,555,091.11
|
Meath
|
125
|
€ 7,996,751.27
|
Monaghan
|
137
|
€11,246,725.57
|
Offaly
|
110
|
€ 2,387,486.00
|
Roscommon
|
93
|
€ 4,934,650.74
|
Sligo
|
89
|
€ 6,877,442.00
|
Tipperary
|
272
|
€10,878,509.15
|
Waterford
|
86
|
€ 7,391,184.00
|
Westmeath
|
97
|
€3,605,630.00
|
Wexford
|
221
|
€12,057,487.84
|
Wicklow *
|
2
|
€ 130,000.00
|
Totals
|
3,953
|
€183,420,045.23
|
* Local Action Groups in these areas have advised that they have received a number of Expressions of Interest for LEADER funding and are in the process of updating the LEADER ICT system with the relevant information.