Feighan dispels misleading commentary about LEADER funding in Roscommon

Fine Gael TD for Roscommon/South Leitrim, Frank Feighan, has moved to dispel misleading commentary about the levels and availability of LEADER funding in County Roscommon. Deputy Feighan has highlighted that while Roscommon Integrated Development Company has approved more than €9m in LEADER funding for local projects since 2009, only €3.5m has actually been drawn down for completed projects over this four year period.

“This €3.5m drawn down by Roscommon Integrated Development Company represents 31% of the revised allocation of €11.23m announced recently. So, it does appear that since 2009, a significant proportion of Roscommon’s total LEADER funding has been approved for many projects which still have not progressed through to implementation and therefore the monies cannot be drawn down.

“There are many good and genuine reasons for delays in projects not going ahead such as planning and finance issues but I would strongly urge Roscommon Integrated Development Company to examine why and where this money is tied up and for how long, with a view to reallocating some of it to projects from promoters who are ready to proceed.

“The real concern about funding is not about there not being enough but about the danger of Roscommon losing millions of euro of funding if it’s now drawn down quickly enough. Roscommon Integrated Development Company has only until the end of this year to approve and allocate the remainder of its funding. Otherwise, this money is lost for good to the county if it is now drawn down before the funding programme ends in 2013. That figure is very significant as we are talking millions of euro.

“Nationally, the level of spend to date by Local Development Companies responsible for allocating LEADER funding to date has been very low relative to their commitment to fund projects. Only 43% of the total value of commitments to date under the programme has actually been drawn-down, with just over 6 months remaining for project approvals.

“Clearly, this presents huge challenges for many of these companies with the real possibility of unspent millions of euro being lost to local economies.”