Almost €6m allocated to 62 community projects across Kilkenny: Minister Phelan
Kilkenny LEADER Partnership has been allocated €5,825,102 in funding to finance 62 local projects, Minister and local TD John Paul Phelan has confirmed.
The represents the total amount of money allocated to the local LEADER Partnership since 2014. And it is part of the overall €64 million national package announced by Minister Michael Ring which covers a total of 1,888 LEADER projects across the country.
The 62 projects in Kilkenny will receive a total of €1,615,488 as part of the latest LEADER allocation. A further 12 applications are in process for projects with an estimated value of €524,892. Some €18,450 has also been set aside for a Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) initiative for rural Kilkenny communities with little or no broadband services.
Minister Phelan said: “This increase reflects a significant expansion of activity over the last 18 months since Minister Ring introduced a range of measures to make the programme work better for both potential applicants and for the LEADER Local Action Groups which deliver the programme on the ground.
“We want to see this momentum continue over the coming months and the funding for the approved projects drawn down as quickly as possible. LEADER funding represents an enormous opportunity for rural businesses and communities that are in need of investment and it’s great to see the programme continuing to grow and make a difference for rural Ireland over the coming years, Minister Phelan said.