AQW 20832/17-22

Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 23/06/2021
Answered On Date: 05/07/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail the funding that will be allocated to facilitate the Green Growth foundation programme.

Answer:

Green Growth Foundation Programmes are still in the early stages of development and as such, no commitments have yet been made in regards to their full scope or implementation funding.

The Forests for Our Future programme is a foundation initiative of Green Growth which I announced in 2020 and for which funding allocation is in line with guidance issued by the European Commission. Under this guidance my Department is eligible to make commitments through the NI Rural Development Programme 2014-20 until December 2023. Budget allocation beyond this point will be subject to future funding mechanisms available at that time.

As new Foundation Programmes are established I will be seeking the support of my Executive colleagues to ensure that supporting delivery funding is allocated