A major drop in LEADER funding in Tipperary has been described as a cruel cut.
The Government – and in particular Environment Minister Alan Kelly – have been accused of spin-doctoring the figures.
LEADER has been operating in Ireland since 1991 – its focus is to support small rural business and to strengthen facilities and services for rural communities.
Nenagh based Sinn Féin Councillor Seamie Morris says this years allocation is effectively down by €15 million in order to build up a pre-election fund for the Government.
Councillor Morris says the cut in funding will have a huge impact on projects across Tipperary.
