577. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of completed plans received under the Leader programme to date, including the names of the applicants and the sub-regional areas they relate to; the number of outstanding plans still awaited and the sub-regional areas they relate to; the number of groups successful at stage 1 of the process that have now indicated that they will not be submitting a plan under stage 2, and the sub-regional areas they relate to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43975/15]

As the Deputy is aware, Ireland is conducting a two stage process for the selection of local development strategies to support the delivery of the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.

Stage one of the process is complete and those successful at stage one have moved to stage two of the process, which is the preparation of local development strategies in each of the 28 sub-regional areas.

There were 42 successful submissions to the expression of interest phase of the process, with 7 of these subsequently withdrawing their interest as follows:

A minimum period of six months to end-January 2016 has been allowed for the submission of strategies by all Local Action Groups, with the majority expected to submit strategies within that timeframe.

To date, six local development strategies have been received as follows:

A further twenty nine local development strategies are awaited in respect of twenty two sub-regional areas as follows: