4149. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the current status of CAP and LEADER programme arrangements relating to County Offaly; the expected timeline for issuing updated guidance to LCDCs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62186/26]

The LEADER programme delivers tangible benefits to rural communities in areas such as economic development and job creation, rural infrastructure, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability.

It is funded as an intervention under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and, therefore, the development of the EU regulations relating to the post-2027 CAP, and the new National and Regional Partnership Plan is a matter of significant importance to my department.

Ireland has and will continue to advocate for a well-funded CAP that supports farm resilience, environmental ambition, and rural development measures such as LEADER.

Within the draft regulations, the inclusion of the LEADER programme as a CAP measure is welcomed. As part of the on-going negotiation process, my department has consistently emphasised the importance of a ringfenced allocation for LEADER, to ensure the post-2027 programme can continue its vital role. I have raised this with my colleagues across government departments and at an EU level.

Many details remain to be finalised as part of the ongoing negotiation process and detailed discussions will continue through Ireland’s term holding Presidency of the Council of the European Union. In this regard, officials in my department will continue to engage with stakeholders via the LEADER Forum, which includes Local Action Group representatives nominated by the Local Development Community Network (LDCN) and the County and City Management Association (CCMA).