Community Development Projects
Dail Éireann — 2026-03-26
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Dara Calleary (FF), Mayo

I agree with the Deputy. When the Minister of State and I visited Moneygall, the local development company put on a fantastic display. During the ploughing championships last year, it really showcased what LEADER can do across a county and the interventions it can make. On the future of LEADER, we are working, as I said, with the Minister, Deputy Heydon, and his Department. The CAP consultative committee includes my Department and other rural stakeholders. I am also engaging with Irish MEPs to discuss a range of issues. I encourage Deputy Clendennen and every other Deputy to engage with MEPs in their respective groups to ensure LEADER is properly funded within the next multi-annual financial framework. We are under no illusions. The CAP budget is under particular pressure given the competing demands. We must ensure, within those competing demands, that LEADER is progressed. It has a really strong basis. As I said, we marked 35 years of LEADER the weekend before last. The impact it has had has been transformative and we need to make sure we continue with it and it continues to grow.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-03-26/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:47+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-26