Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 May 2026
108. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will report on his engagements regarding the LEADER programme under the next EU budgetary cycle. [38369/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe LEADER programme has been at the heart of rural development in Ireland for 35 years and is a key element of the Department’s Rural Development Investment Programme.
It is funded as an intervention under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and, therefore, the development of the EU regulations relating to the post 2027 CAP and the new National and Regional Partnership Plan is a matter of significant importance to my Department.
Within the draft regulations, the continuation of the LEADER programme as a CAP intervention is welcomed. As part of the on-going negotiation process my Department continues to input into the draft regulations, to emphasise the importance of a ringfenced allocation for the LEADER Programme and to ensure that the post-2027 programme can continue its vital role in supporting rural communities all across the country.
In addition, to facilitate the current negotiation process in relation to the national position for the post-2027 period, the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine has established a CAP Consultative Committee, and representatives from my Department and other rural stakeholders actively participate on that committee.
I also continue to engage with colleagues at home and in Europe in relation to LEADER funding and the next Multiannual Financial Framework to ensure that we continue advocate for a well funded CAP that supports farm resilience, environmental ambition, and rural development through LEADER. Indeed, only this week I met with a German parliamentary group from the Saxon State Parliament where we discussed our views on the need for strong LEADER funding in the coming years.
There are many details that remain to be finalised as part of the ongoing negotiation process to put the regulations in place, and a lengthy period of detailed discussion is likely. These negotiations are expected to continue through Ireland’s term holding Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2026.
It is a key priority of my Department to ensure that a well-funded LEADER programme is in place from 2028 onwards and I will continue to work with MEPs and my Government colleagues to ensure that the LEADER programme is well funded into the future.
