Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not have responsibility for the local authorities. They are telling me that the reason they are unable to spend the funding is because they do not have the resources or the staff. All I can do is make the money available. Deputy Ó Cuív will know this. We have very effective and efficient local authorities, and some do very well in spending. I was at this in July, but why should my Secretary General and my officials be ringing around local authorities throughout the country to get them to spend money? I am listening to local authority members from every corner of this country telling me that there is not enough money for rural Ireland and not enough money being spent by Government, yet here we are. I will get these figures to the members today that show the funding that we have allocated throughout the country. Some of the local authorities have been very good, some have spending levels of 84%, while others are at 73% and then there is 21%. Cork was allocated more than €1.8 million and has spent 21% of this. What can I do with local authorities that do that?