To ask the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what form the Maximising Access in Rural Areas to Grants, Services and Benefits project will take after 2016; and whether there are plans to continue this service.

Deloitte and the Public Health Agency, Health Intelligence Team have recently forwarded a comprehensive draft evaluation report on the MARA Project to officials for consideration.

I understand the report contains a very positive overview of the Project and a number of conclusions and issues for consideration. The draft report is currently being reviewed and will be shared with the Project’s Interdepartmental Regional Project Management Forum later this month.

This Forum has representation from a range of partner Government Departments and provides strategic direction, oversees monitoring and evaluation and advocates for the Project. Therefore their views on the continued need for the MARA Project bearing in mind other similar projects, budgetary issues, the positive nature of the evaluation will be key in informing the future need for MARA and any DARD involvement.

I hope to be able to take a decision on this by the beginning of October.