To ask the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what proportion of rural development funding has been allocated for 2015/2016, broken down by the recipients.

I can advise that currently no Rural Development Programme funding has been allocated to recipients for 2015/16. The NI Rural Development Programme 2007 – 2013 is closed for applications and no new funding will be allocated from this Programme.

The draft Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020 was formally submitted to the European Commission on 14th October 2014. The European Commission observation letter on the draft programme was received on 31 March and we have started the formal adoption process with the aim of having our programme approved as soon as possible, ideally before the summer.

Once formal approval has been granted, the necessary business case approval has been obtained and all required processes have been completed, my Department will commence opening the various measures / schemes and, subject to the application process and scheme terms and conditions, will endeavour to get letters of offer for funding out to recipients as soon as possible.