Signing of €8.5millon contract with members of Breffni Integrated, Cavan LEADER, Cavan Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) with Minister. From left: Jerry Fitzpatrick, Helen O'Reilly, Des Maguire, Elaine Halpin, Cathaoirleach Fergal Curtin, Brendan Reilly and Micheal Greenan. Front Row l

New €250M Leader Programme launched

Projects in County Cavan are to benefit from over €8.5M in funding under the new €250M Leader IV Programme being launched in Virginia around now.

The first batch of funding agreements under the LEADER Programme 2020 are being signed by Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys who said that the investment will support hundreds of jobs across rural Ireland.

The agreements are being signed with Local Action Groups from around the country at an event in the Virginia Show Centre in Cavan, which previously benefitted from €500,000 in LEADER funding.

Funding of €250 million will be distributed to entrepreneurs and community groups throughout Ireland by the Local Action Groups, which are made up of public and private representatives.

The LEADER programme funds projects under a diverse range of themes that include enterprise development, rural tourism, social inclusion and the environment.  The programme is co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. The previous LEADER programme delivered almost 10,000 projects throughout rural Ireland. In addition to supporting community-based projects, last year LEADER funding supported over 800 enterprises and 500 jobs.

Speaking today Minister Humphreys said: “I know that communities across the country are very eager to access this funding, for the benefit of local groups and organisations. Upon taking over responsibility for rural and regional affairs, I was very keen to ensure the funding agreements could be signed as quickly as possible so that this money can start to flow into rural Ireland. Now, the majority of funding agreements are being signed, meaning the Local Action Groups can start receiving applications for funding.

“We know that last year, LEADER funding supported 800 enterprises and helped to create in the region of 500 jobs. LEADER is an incredibly important source of funding for rural towns and villages, and I am confident that the €250 million fund will support significant job creation in the coming years.'

Funding agreements signed today in Virginia:

<strong>Local Action Group</strong><strong>Sub-regional Allocation</strong>
Carlow&nbsp;&euro;6,416,803.43
Cavan&nbsp;&euro;8,522,285.84
Clare&euro;8,920,224.65
Donegal&euro;12,913,877.86
Kerry&euro;10,219,868.29
Kilkenny&euro;7,791,572.91
Laois&euro;7,124,586.86
Leitrim&nbsp;&euro;5,998,474.74
Limerick&euro;9,276,593.96
Mayo&nbsp;&euro;11,121,431.88
Meath&euro;6,903,123.57
Monaghan&euro;7,592,719.51
North Cork&euro;5,006,396.93
Offaly&euro;8,036,763.90
Sligo&euro;7,655,647.81
Tipperary&euro;10,103,443.28
Waterford&euro;7,522,796.18
Westmeath&euro;7,384,206.22
Wexford&euro;9,840,140.56
Wicklow&euro;6,336,549.00