Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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1749. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount allocated to each local action group, LAG, under the 2014-2020 LEADER programme; the amount expended to date under the programme in each LAG to 31 August 2019; the spend to date out of the amount allocated to each LAG for the programme period to the 31 August 2019 as a percentage; the amount expended to date on project costs, administration and other costs by each LAG to 31 August 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36263/19]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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LEADER is a multi-annual programme with a total budget of €250 million over the period 2014-2020. €220 million of this funding has been allocated to the Local Action Groups (LAGs) throughout the country who deliver the LEADER programme. This funding is allocated to the LAGs for the full period of the programme.

The remaining €30 million is available for schemes to be delivered at a national level.

Table 1 below provides details as at 31^stAugust 2019 of:

- The budget allocations to the LAGs under the LEADER 2014-2020 programme.

- The total spend by the LAGs broken down by:

- the cost of developing their strategies (preparatory support);

- the expenditure incurred on LEADER administration and supporting the development of projects (administration & animation);

- the funding provided to LEADER projects; and

- The total spend expressed as a percentage of the LAG's budget allocation.

While the overall spend to date is 28% of the total allocation available to the LAGs, there has been a significant increase in project approvals since the start of 2018, with 2,299 projects approved to a value of €83.8 million. A further 325 projects, requesting funding in excess of €25.4 million, are at earlier stages in the approvals process. Project payments under the programme will increase significantly as these projects are completed and submit payment claims.

Table 1: LEADER Expenditure data as of 31^stAugust, 2019