Mr. Justin Larkin:

We have never sent back funding. We would always have an excess of applications for funding. In respect of accountability regarding funding, as local development companies, we must operate on the basis of a very robust and stringent monitoring system. The Department's inspectors can come into our companies at any stage and look at any file, regardless of whether it relates to administration, funding or projects. In respect of the Department's internal audit, its inspectors can call on our companies and review the files. The programme monitors appointed by the EU also come into our companies and look at the information and files. The European Court of Auditors also calls to our companies and looks at files to ensure that we are spending the money we are supposed to spend. The monitoring of our companies and how we spend public funds is quite robust and multi-layered so no Deputy should have any concerns in that regard.