Mr. Noel Waters:

Yes, I accept that idea. We are reviewing our processes to ensure we can help groups to meet the requirements. One of the difficulties we had was that, owing to the fact that there were a number of such measures in the Department, our knowledge was scattered. we are, therefore, centralising it in one unit and putting our financial management unit in charge. We will see benefits arising from this and the new arrangements will be in place for the new programme which started last year and will involve a new call for funding. We expect the difficulties that arose in the past not to arise in the future. Under the new arrangements, the applications did pass muster, unlike under the previous measure.

It meant that for that measure we were unable to draw down funding of €3 million. I am advised that this €3 million is not lost to Ireland but will be taken up under other strands of the same measure in other Departments.