Taoiseach Defends Cuts To Leader Rural Development Programme

Taoiseach defends cuts to leader rural development programme

The Taoiseach is defending cuts to the 'LEADER' rural development programme saying administration costs weren't "pumping money into rural Ireland" Funding of 250 million euro nationally has been announced - a drop of 43 percent on the last programme. County Wexford is one county which has seen it's funding cut. Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin's described it as an assault on rural Ireland. Enda Kenny told the Dáil that there's a responsibility for LEADER groups to get the best value from 250 million euro. "Under the scheme as operated up until this year, there was a 33 percent administration cost - 33 percent of the funding to the LEADER groups went on administration" he said. "That's not pumping money into rural Ireland for schemes that you want and you know that". "Clearly the OECD recommended that there should be a far more integrated approach to dealing with these kinds of funds" he added.