Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2021
1009. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the grant aid that has been provided for Leader programmes to private individual projects and community projects on offshore islands in each year for the past ten years. [23815/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraLEADER is a rural development programme co-funded by the EU which operates a locally-led, bottom-up approach to meeting the needs of local communities and businesses. The programme supports private enterprises and community groups in rural areas including the islands.
The current programme is delivered to the off-shore islands by the Donegal, Mayo and West Cork Local Action Groups (LAGs) through its Implementing Partner, Comhar na nOileán CTR, while the Galway West LAG, Forum Connemara CLG, covers the Islands off the coast of County Galway.
These LAGs are responsible for the delivery the programme in their respective areas, including approving project applications for funding and processing claims for payment once approved works are completed.
Funding Agreements with the LAGs for the current programme were, for the most part, signed with the LAGs in the second half of 2016 and the programme effectively became operational from that date. There was no project expenditure on the new LEADER programme in 2015 and 2016, although funding was provided to the LAGs to develop their Local Development Strategies and to prepare for the implementation phase of the programme.
The 2007-2013 LEADER programme was delivered by the Local Development Companies, such as Comhar na nOileán CTR, who were the LAGs for each LEADER area.
Table 1 below details the amounts approved on LEADER projects for the off-shore Islands in each of years 2011 to 2020, and to date in 2021.
Table 1: LEADER Project Approvals for the off-shore Islands per year 2011 to 2020 and to date in 2021
|
Year |
Amounts approved |
|
2011 |
€1,146,298 |
|
2012 |
€1,281,089 |
|
2013 |
€2,168,437 |
|
2014 |
€98,603 |
|
2015 |
€0 |
|
2016 |
€0 |
|
2017 |
€8,955 |
|
2018 |
€781,007 |
|
2019 |
€337,895 |
|
2020 |
€732,366 |
|
2021 |
€145,211 |
|
Total |
€6,699,862 |
