Midlands North-West MEP urges Government to defend LEADER funding

Fianna Fáil MEP for Midlands North-West, Barry Cowen, has called on the Government to take urgent action to safeguard the future of the LEADER programme within the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), as final EU funding decisions are due in the coming weeks.

MEP Cowen’s intervention comes amid concern that LEADER, which traditionally supports community-led, place-based rural development, could be removed from the CAP framework and placed under a separate EU fund.

Rural development groups have warned that this would cause significant uncertainty for long-term investment in rural Ireland.

In a letter sent to Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon, MEP Cowen urged the Government to assert Ireland’s position and ensure the LEADER programme remains ring-fenced within Pillar II of CAP.

“I have every confidence that Minister Heydon and his colleagues will fight to ensure Ireland fulfils its Programme for Government commitment to protect and enhance LEADER.

“LEADER plays a critical role in enabling community-led, place-based rural development. Moving it outside the CAP would risk fragmentation, delay and uncertainty at a time when rural communities need clarity and support," MEP Cowen said.

The Fianna Fáil MEP pointed to the Government’s commitment in the Programme for Government to “engage at EU level to increase funding for the next LEADER programme, examine how we can reduce bureaucracy, simplify the application process and continue to provide sufficient core funding from the State.”

In his letter, MEP Cowen outlined the significant work he has already undertaken at EU level. As Renew Europe’s lead negotiator on the European Parliament’s report on the Future of CAP post-2027, he recently published a position paper advocating for LEADER’s retention within Pillar II and for the creation of a third CAP pillar to support environmental schemes.

In parallel, MEP Cowen’s office is participating in technical meetings and political negotiations on the Parliament’s CAP report. LEADER has been a consistent priority and he has worked to ensure its inclusion in the final text.