Éamon Ó Cuív protests Galway LEADER decisions, seeks reversal

Before I commence, I thought, understanding orders, that if the Minister couldn't come in, they were meant to notify you and you were meant to be get an opportunity to get the matter deferred until the Minister could come in. That's my understanding as well. Well, I certainly had, I checked all my emails when I came down here this evening from Belfast. I cannot find any email from the Minister's office or anybody else saying that the Minister wanted to defer the matter. And I want to say that I've been waiting for weeks to have this taken. That's the discretion to Concord, I accept that. But I find it totally unsatisfactory that when I eventually get what's a very important issue taken, I find that all I'm going to get is, with no disrespect to the Minister, the kind of standard answer, with no feedback. Which was the whole reason we changed the standing order, so that you could get the Minister in if you felt it was an issue that the Minister needed to address. So, you might pass on to the Concord that I was very disappointed the Minister wasn't here and that I took this under protest and that I will expect the next time that I will be treated in the courteous and according to standing orders in respect to this matter. Now, this is a very, very serious matter. If we go back, not to the last leader programme, but the one before that, in the Galway area, what we had was a leader company delivering the programme in East Galway. A leader company delivering the programme in East Galway, a leader company delivering leader for all of the offshore islands not connected by a greater causeway to the mainland. It was based based from Innisear, half of the island population, in fact, more than half the island population in the country live in the country of Galway. Now, in the last leader programme, in something that shocked everybody involved in leader in Galway, there was a high-handed decision made that Galway would only have one leader company and one sub-regional group. That was opposed on the ground, and eventually the leader programme was delivered by two companies, Galway Rural Development in East Galway and Forum Connemara in Connemara, but we lost the battle on the islands. Now, I think it is important to point out to the minister that Galway is geographically the second largest county in the country. Not only that, but you could virtually say geographically it is two counties, because you cannot get from Connemara to the huge area east of Galway without going through another local authority area, i.e. through the city, unless you take a boat across the lake. It is cut off completely, Connemara. And the area from Ballinasloe to Clifton is 166 kilometres long, and it is also a very long county from north to south, stretching from the Moor in the north, right down to Garton-Portruman in the south, on the east side, and on the west side, from where I live myself, Cormona and Cang in the north, all the way down to the north. To south Connemara. There was a huge protest the last time. They got the two companies, but amazingly the department has decided that this will be one sub-regional area again. I find this extraordinary. And they have also told the islanders, basically, that they are going to be part, and a very small sub-part, of the county leader. Now, of course, this is a huge effect, because the way the money has been divvied out is that each sub-regional area, for example, Cork is three. Cork is three. South, north and west. We have only one, for this huge county. And the way the money is divvied out is that three million go to each sub-regional area. So we claim, because we have two companies, we should be getting two, three million. And then the rest is divvied out on the basis of rurality or density of population, and also on the basis of disadvantage, to which we have no argument. So what we are seeking is that the minister, before it is too late, reverses two decisions. One, that she declares that Galway is now two sub-regional areas, one for Connemara, and that is the way it will be delivered one way or the other. The companies have agreed that, the people have agreed that everyone wants it, and therefore that we get it delivered that way, and also that we get the reinstatement of our island leader company. Minister, four minutes to respond. Goeie Margot. On behalf of Minister Humphreys, I want to thank Deputy Amy Nookwe for raising this important matter. Leader is a key programme within our rural future, and as announced recently, the expression of interest stage to select the groups to deliver the next Leader programme is now open. The allocation for each leader area was also announced as part of the process. The programme has made an immense contribution to the development of rural Ireland, including the offshore islands. The funding allocation commitment of €180 million for 2023 to 2027, when taken together with the allocation of €70 million under the transitional programme for 2021 and 2022, show that all leader areas have an increased allocation of core programme funding compared to the core programme funding allocated for the corresponding seven-year period of 2014 to 2020. Importantly, all of the €180 million will be allocated up front to leader areas. This is a change from the 2014 to 2020 programme, where €30 million was withheld to fund initiatives delivered at a national level, such as the Leader Food Initiative. The subregional area of County Galway has been allocated €9 million for the 2023 to 2027 period. When taken in conjunction with the transitional funding for County Galway of €3.6 million for 2021 and 2022, this gives a total Leader allocation of €12.6 million for the period of 2021 to 2027. This represents a 3.55% increase of approximately €430,000 on the 2014 to 2020 period. A number of factors were considered when deciding on the funding allocations. Along with minimum allocations, these factors included population density and deprivation index. This approach is similar to the approach taken in the previous Leader programme, with the relevant population and deprivation figures updated to take account of the passage of time. This approach ensures that the funding is targeted to the rural communities most in need of leader support in a transparent and fair manner. As is the case with the current Leader programme, the subregional areas for the new Leader programme will correspond with county boundaries. This alignment will help to ensure coherence of Leader funding with other initiatives and policies delivered on a county basis, and so help to deliver the best impact and value for money for Leader. The offshore islands will continue to be aligned with their relevant subregional area. However, as island communities have particular needs and priorities, and within the context of the emerging national islands policy, it is envisaged that the Leader programme can play a key role in delivering on these needs. In recognition of this, a number of important elements will be included in the model for the new programme. Any local action groups selected in an area that includes island communities will be required to identify in their leader strategy specific actions developed in consultation with the island communities to cater for the challenges faced by those communities. These local action groups must include indicative budgets in their leader strategy for the implementation of such actions. In addition, a representative of the island grouping in each subregional area must be included in the decision-making body of the LAG. It is now important that the key public and private stakeholders and communities across Ireland come together in partnership to deliver a Leader programme that will be coherent with and build on existing rural development policies and initiatives across the country. Minister Humphreys looks forward to seeing the new programme being implemented and to ensure that Leader can continue to deliver real benefits to rural communities across Ireland. Minister Humphreys, I tell you two minutes to reply. Minister, you have to say here, that as in the case with the current Leader programme, the subregional areas for the new Leader programme will correspond to county boundaries. Cahirlech can tell you that in Cork, yes, it does correspond to the county boundaries, but in three parts, three parts that are contiguous. In Galway what we are looking for is, we will stay within the county boundary, I will leave aside the islands for a minute, which is a separate issue, while we are saying yes, leaving the islands aside, we will stay within the county boundary, but we want two subregional areas, because our two subregional areas will have two companies and they are not contiguous, they do not touch each other physically on land. The difference of course is 3 million euro, it is a huge difference to the county, I am not going to get into an argument that is drawn down blind alleys, but that goes into funny money games in terms of this leader programme versus the last, and the last wasn't a great leader programme, you are absolutely right. The next thing I would like to address is the islands. We all love the islands, everybody says they love the islands. People are still crying after the loss of the Blasket Islands, after the loss of any shark and other islands and their population. But when it comes to islands, often we have the talk and people will do the talk, but they won't walk the walk. The reality is that the islanders are underwhelmed with all these complicated provisions that mean nothing in reality on the ground to development. They will tell you that the last leader programme did not work as the previous ones did. It was not funded as the previous ones did. There are three things that are wrong with it. Four things in one sentence. Money. The headquarters meant employment on the islands, which is very hard to come by. It meant an island plan for islanders. And the fourth thing, it is what the offshore islands want, because they know what is good for them and for their survival into the future. Thank you. Minister, two minutes to the final response. I think you have asked about this before on occasion, so just following up from those questions. I have been told that there are requirements now on these subregional groups that they specifically include actions relating to the islands, that they have a specific budget for the islands and that they have representation from the islands. I presume that is on foot of your requests or your demands. Was that present? I am not sure if that was present in the last round. But your point is that there is only one subregional area for Galway and that there should be at least two on the basis that they are not contiguous and separated by Galway City Council. I will bring those comments back to the Minister and then leaving aside the fact that the islands themselves do not have a subregional area and you make the point that there is much more talk than action and that we should, you know, barth the rare armour here, that talk is cheap, I suppose, is your point there. And that Galway is a very large county that is over 160 kilometres long. I come from a county that is 10 kilometres square, so I understand where you are coming from there. And I will take your comments on this area back to the Minister for comments. Thank you very much. The Press F