Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2021
1213. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the meetings that he held with the Minister for Social Protection in respect of the allocation of LEADER funding as per the indicative allocations for pillar II (rural development) measures. [52557/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Rural and Community Development has delegated responsibility for the LEADER programme on behalf of my Department.
The LEADER programme will continue to be a key component of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) from 2023, and my colleague Minister Humphreys is committed to ensuring that the programme continues to play a central role in delivering on the Government’s vision for rural Ireland as set out in Our Rural Future.
Indeed, the widespread public consultation undertaken by her Department in the preparation of Our Rural Future clearly highlighted the vital role that LEADER continues to play.
Officials from both Departments have engaged frequently, and with the European Commission, on the structure and design of the new LEADER programme. In addition, I understand that Minister Humphreys and her officials have engaged extensively with the Irish Local Development Network and with the Local Government Management Agency as part of this process.
It is essential that the new CAP, and the LEADER programme, are firmly rooted in stakeholder consultation and, to that end, I understand that Department of Rural Community Development recently initiated an external review of the current LEADER programme, which has involved extensive engagement with all its stakeholders. The outcome of this review will help to inform the design of the new LEADER programme, and will be completed in the coming weeks.
Recently, I announced the indicative funding allocations for the new CAP schemes, including the next LEADER Programme.
The implementation of a new CAP Strategic Plan and a new LEADER programme from 2023 remains a key priority, and I will continue to work with my colleague Minister Humphreys to progress this significant body of work over the coming months, starting with the submission of Ireland's CAP Strategic Plan to the European Commission by the deadline of 1 January 2022.
