Michael Moynihan
Ceist:107. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a new round of Leader funding will be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3993/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 30 January 2024
Ceisteanna (107)
Freagraí scríofa
The LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. It supports a broad range of activities which aim to respond to the diversity of the local needs of our rural areas.
In October 2022 I announced funding for the 2023 - 2027 LEADER programme of €180 million. This is in addition to the €70 million in funding allocated for the transitional period 2021 to 2022 maintaining the level of funding of €250 million provided for the 2014-2020 programming period.
The process to select the Local Action Groups (LAGs) to deliver the 2023-2027 LEADER Programme is ongoing at present, with the selection complete in 18 sub-regional areas to date.
Strategies in areas where the process is not yet finalised are being considered by the Independent Selection Committee (ISC) with a view to completing the selection process in a timely manner.
Applicant LAGs will be notified of the outcome of the selection process in their sub-regional area once it is completed. Once a LAG is approved it can commence the delivery of the programme in their area.
While the process to select the LAGs is ongoing at the moment it should be noted that those bodies engaged in delivering the 2014-2020 LEADER programme will continue to do so in 2024 until the completion of that programme.
My Department’s focus now is to complete the selection of the remaining LAGs to ensure a timely and smooth transition from the 2014-2020 programme.