There is huge angst over the LEADER programme going forward. Notwithstanding the increase in Exchequer funding for the overall CAP 2023-27, there is a significant cut in LEADER funding for rural areas, with the proposed allocation for the programme falling from €425 million for the 2007-13 programme to just €180 million for this programme. This is astonishing.

The co-funding element of 56.72% falls well short of the 80% permissible under the EU regulation. This reduction in funding will have a huge impact on rural projects, tourism projects and commercial projects across my county of Tipperary and every other county. LEADER has been bottoms-up one of the best programmes ever introduced. I think the then Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, introduced it. Many great projects have been supported, many volunteers have been on the boards and many volunteers in the community have got it going. Now they have been shot in the face like this. It is disastrous.

LEADER is a great scheme-----

It was.

-----and the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, was successful in getting additional funding for it this year.

It is down by more than half.

It is not. I will ask the Minister to engage with the Deputy on the additional funding under this CAP strategic framework which he achieved for LEADER, as compared to the previous CAP. There is increased funding for it-----

Not for here.

----and for investment in rural Ireland more generally. This budget has an allocation of €376 million.

We are talking about LEADER.

That is an increase of €35 million on the Department of Rural and Community Development 2021 budget.

I asked about LEADER.

I know, but it is doing an awful lot of work for the rural towns the Deputy spoke about.

The idea is to close them down, is it?

I will let the Minister talk to the Deputy.