In light of what has been happening in the past couple of days, I wish to raise the issue of the regions and regional development. Many businesses are suffering right across the country as a result of the pandemic. There are two areas I wish to discuss.

Since it was first introduced, the LEADER programme has brought a great amount of positivity to the regions in economic enterprise, job creation and the provision for community groups to be able to access funding for important activities in their areas. We have seen at first-hand how the local action groups have really garnered all of this money and made sure it is spent in a good way. I understand that the CAP talks have been agreed and now the rural development fund needs to be put in place. I accept that the Government has put in place a transition fund for this year and next year. Will the Taoiseach clarify if this fund can be increased for 2022 so we can meet the demand by the communities that look for this funding, and for the enterprise it will create?

An issue brought to my attention this morning is that today the temporary assistance payment scheme, TAPS, for nursing homes, many of which are family-run and based in regional areas, is to cease today. Will the Government consider extending this support scheme, which has been very good to these family-run nursing homes, in line with what the UK has done and in view of how aggressive the Delta variant is? The Taoiseach stated earlier that Nicola Sturgeon said it would cut through the country. Nursing homes have had a very serious time in trying to deal with Covid. The scheme is region-based and means jobs in family-run businesses in local areas. I ask the Taoiseach to comment.

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and I accept fully the importance of the LEADER programme in respect of regional economic development. Since 1991, I have been a great advocate for it and it has played a huge role in the development and enhancement of rural areas, particularly through rural economies and entrepreneurship. With co-financing from the European Union, LEADER has created thousands of projects throughout Ireland, along with job creation, community development and environmental projects. It is funded under Pillar 2 of the Common Agricultural Policy and the European agricultural fund for rural development. On 28 June, European Union agriculture ministers accepted the provisional agreement reached between the Portuguese Presidency and the European Parliament on the CAP post-2020 legislative proposals. These will cover the period 2023 to 2027. A transitional arrangement agreed in 2020 will continue to apply for 2021 and 2022.

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, in line with the programme for Government, announced details of allocations of approximately €70 million transitional LEADER programme funding for the period covering 2021 and 2022. This came into effect from April of this year. Of the €70 million announced, €20 million is funded by the European Union recovery instrument funding, which is Next Generation EU funding. Of this €70 million, €65 million will be made available to local action groups for the delivery of the transitional LEADER programme and 75% of the funding is being allocated to new project activity, with the remaining 25% for administration and other costs. A further €3 million of the funding is being allocated to support co-operation projects and innovation between local action groups. The remaining €2 million is being provided to support strategy development for the next LEADER programme.

Project activity has already commenced and 68 core projects to a value of €2.8 million have been approved so far. A further 22 co-operation projects, with a value of in excess of €1.8 million, have also been approved. There will be an increase in the maximum rate of aid each local action group may award to private enterprises, community projects with a commercial basis and social enterprises from 50% to 75% for the duration of the transitional programme. Increasing the rate of aid, which was effective from 1 April 2021, will help stimulate rural economies and sustain jobs in rural areas, particularly in a post-Covid recovery scenario.

The final call for applications under the €15 million LEADER food initiative has been announced. This is for €5 million and it is available for investment aimed at assisting artisan, micro and small food businesses to respond to challenges posed by Brexit. I will speak to the Minister about the Deputy's request for additional funding for 2022.

With regard to the cessation of TAPS, I have dealt with it previously. There are facilities and there will be support for any outbreak that happens in a nursing home over the coming period. An outbreak assistance payment will continue to be made available to the end of the year.

I thank the Taoiseach. He rightly pointed out that the LEADER programme has been such a benefit and the money that has been allocated has been spent wisely. I reiterate my request that for 2023 we increase the funding allocation because there is pent-up demand and people see the value of it.

With regard to TAPS, it is important to realise that, right now, these family-run nursing homes are under pressure. I know a review of the nursing home sector is ongoing with regard to how it dealt with Covid and how it is being funded. It is very important that nursing homes, especially family-run nursing homes, continue to have TAPS in place until we deal positively with the Delta variant and we get people vaccinated to the extent required. I compliment the vaccination process.

With regard to Deputy Canney's point on LEADER, I will engage with the Minister again to see what can be done. With regard to the TAP scheme, the vaccination programme has been very effective in nursing homes and very effective overall in terms of those aged over 65. The prospect has been raised that if we have very high volumes of infection as a result of the Delta variant in the non-vaccinated population, it would feed through and break through the vaccine protective wall. We will be keeping a very close eye on this. As I have said, an outbreak assistance payment will continue to be made available until the end of the year as a support for any nursing home that experiences a Covid-19 outbreak. Other supports have continued. To be fair, approximately €134 million has been made available under TAPS between 2020 and 2021. The HSE has given very strong supports to the nursing home sector over the past while.