Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Congratulations on the clear audit. The witnesses will forgive me if I do not use the rest of my ten minutes for congratulatory words but well done to the team. I was going to raise the last point raised by Deputy MacSharry but he has addressed it very comprehensively so I will not repeat it but it struck me as odd in the extreme that this money was used. Was a business case done for that? Was there any analysis or a post-review evaluation? I say this in the context of being in the Gaeltacht area in Cork Dé Luain - a comharchumann struggling for money. Yesterday, we heard a presentation from a representative of the comharchumann - the co-operatives - pointing out issues and begging for money. They create jobs and are getting a tiny amount. I know IDA Ireland does very good work - certainly in Galway west. I see what is there but the witnesses can see the difficulty for me listening to what was presented yesterday and what I saw on Monday in the Muscraí Gaeltacht and Oilean Árainn as they struggle. They are providing work. It is difficult for me.