Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It might be useful for the committee, and also for local authority members, to have a synopsis of all the different strands of funding and what they can be used for. More and more of these get announced. To be honest, if someone asked me, I would have to refer to something to find out which ones cover what. Could the Department supply the committee with the different funding streams for local development and through the local authorities in particular and what the criteria is?

There is the issue of the chamber and the elected council, and there is discussion in that regard. That there is not something there with the parent Department and local authorities is a surprise. I would have thought there would even be some sort of nominal statement that the local authorities would have an input or whatever. I am surprised there is not. With the LIS, there is because it has to go through the council chamber at the end of the day. Local authority members, along with the area engineer would prioritise and it works well. It is a scheme that has worked well and that turns in good value for money, with a 15% local contribution from the local community.