Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 September 2020
248. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Community and Rural Development and the Islands if it is planned to provide animation funding to the LAGs under new Leader round to encourage more community involvement in the Leader programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24540/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraLEADER is an EU-funded programme which adopts a Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) approach to the delivery of rural development interventions, underpinned by a Local Development Strategy for the particular LEADER area.
In June 2018, the European Commission published a proposal for a draft Common Provisions Regulation (CPR) for the next programming period, 2021-2027. The draft regulation is similar to the current CPR, with a strong emphasis on community involvement in the development of Local Development Strategies, and capacity building with local communities to identify suitable projects which are in line with the objectives of that Strategy.
As the Deputy will be aware, the current LEADER programme runs to the end of this year. Given the delay at EU level in agreeing the EU Budget for the post-2020 period, the next LEADER programme will not now commence until January 2022 at the earliest.
The Programme for Government includes a provision to bridge the gap between the current LEADER programme and the next programme. Decisions relating to funding for project, administration and animation costs until the new LEADER programme is operational will be taken in the coming months having regard, inter alia, to any transitional arrangements that may be agreed at European level.
