To ask the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development whether she has any plans to develop and bring forward a specific programme to address Rural Youth Development.

As DARD does not have statutory powers for youth development I have no specific plans for a Rural Youth Development programme. However, I have committed to continue to support the Rural Youth Entrepreneurship programme in 2015/16 and look at how this scheme and other similar initiatives could be developed under the Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation programme moving forward. I have also just launched the Rural Micro Capital Grant Programme for which I understand there has been significant interest from projects that will benefit youth. In addition, Priority six of the new Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 will provide opportunities to support rural youth when it opens for applications later this year and there will be a Thematic Working Group for Youth established that will draw membership from across the recently formed Local Action Groups (LAGs).