Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 October 2024
707. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to provide, since the formation of this Government, the total funding (EU and Exchequer) allocated to the LEADER programme over the 2021-2027 period inclusive of transitional finding in 2021-2022, in tabular form; and to outline Exchequer funding allocated to the programme in 2024 and 2025. [41246/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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.
It is delivered through Local Action Groups (LAGs) across rural Ireland. A feature of the LEADER programme is that it is based on a community-led, bottom-up approach to rural development.
The total amount of funding allocated to the LEADER programme for the period of 2021-2027 is €250 million. This funding is made up of €70 million for the Transitional LEADER programme for the years 2021 and 2022, with the remaining €180 million allocated for the period 2023-2027 maintaining the level of funding for the programme in line with the corresponding 7 year programming period of the 2014-2020 LEADER programme. The funding is allocated to the LAGs at the outset of the programme to provide them with greater flexibility managing their budgets over the programming period. Funding is paid by my Department as costs are incurred and claims for payment submitted. I am confident that the level of funding allocated for the 2021-2027 programming period will be sufficient to meet the demand for grant funding from rural communities and businesses.
Table 1 below provides details of all LEADER expenditure under the 2014-2020 programme, the transitional programme and to date on the 2023-2027 LEADER programme. This relates to project funding, administration costs of the LAGs, including engagement with communities and their general running costs and the overhead supports to administer the programme at national level.
A provision of €44 million has been made in my Department’s Vote for 2024 for the delivery of the LEADER programme. In Budget 2025, €42 million has been allocated to the delivery of the programme.
I am satisfied that this level of funding will adequately cover all aspects of implementing the programme next year as the 2014-2022 programmes close and projects approved under the 2023-2027 programme complete and drawdown funding.
Table 1 – LEADER expenditure 2021 – October 2024
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 (to date) |
|
€55,891,108 |
€ 51,957,390 |
€ 51,018,578 |
€ 37,735,728 |
