305 Mr. O'Leary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the total sum paid by way of grant aid to applicants to date in 1996 in relation to the operation of the Leader II Programme in County Kerry; the estimated payment up to 31 December 1996; and the total sum of money paid and payable to administration of the scheme during this period. [13647/96]

Three groups — South Kerry Partnership Ltd., Tuatha Chiarraí and Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta Teo. (Gaeltacht areas) — have been approved to implement the Leader II programme in County Kerry. The total funding available to the groups is £6.742 million — including the total allocation for all Gaeltacht areas. The programme operates until the end of 1999. The administration of the groups' business plans, including decisions on priorities for sectoral development, the commitment and payment of grant aid to individual projects and the rate at which such commitment is made, are matters for the groups.