€6,853,796 from the current round of LEADER funding has been allocated to projects in Co Clare.
142 Clare projects have already been approved for €3.6m in funding with LEADER covering an average of 53.3 percent of overall costs. A further fourteen applications in the county are being evaluated.
Newmarket-on-Fergus based Tradaree Social Food Enterprise was the biggest beneficiary in the latest round of funding. Fine Gael TD, Joe Carey in a statement to The Clare Echo, commented, “As chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Rural and Community Affairs, I am well aware of the impact that LEADER funding has on maintaining employment and community activity in rural areas”.
“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,” Deputy Carey added.
