Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

First, the West Cork Development Partnership went into a competitive process and was not successful. That is the way it is. It was a competitive process and it was aware of that when it went into it. The partnership was unsuccessful. It was an independent process, it was reviewed and the decision was upheld. The Deputy asked me a number of questions about details. The selection committee obviously would have that information. I am not privy to any of that information but I will ask the selection committee if this information can be made available. I must check with it as I am not sure.

I want to be very clear. The Deputy asked me a question two weeks ago at this committee. Comhar na nOileán is delivering parts of the Leader programme in Donegal, Mayo and west Cork because it deals mainly with islands and it was the successful partner in the bid for each of those counties. Again, that is an independent process. There will be a local Leader office in Clonakilty and the two other partners are Avondhu Blackwater Partnership and the South East Cork Area Development, which have extensive experience in the Cork area. In fairness to the West Cork Development Partnership, it continues to deliver a number of other services, such as the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, Tús, the rural social scheme, RSS, the better energy warmer home scheme and rural recreation, which is funded through my Department. The partnership continues to deliver a fairly wide range of programmes and this information is on its website.