I totally understand the Member’s interest in the question, and I thank him for it. Lisburn and Lagan Valley were not excluded. As I stated, the selection of LEADER action groups was by competition, and, unfortunately, the Lisburn application did not score as highly as the other 12, and it could not, therefore, be selected.

However, it does not mean that the Lisburn Borough Council area is excluded from the programme. Apart from the natural resource rural tourism initiative, which is located in specific rural areas to meet the requirements of the EU Commission for the allocation of Peace II funds, all other elements of the rural development programme are open to rural groups and bodies in Northern Ireland —