Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The questions Deputy Ó Cuív asked are the questions I would ask about Leader. Communities are desperate for the funding. It is not happening. We have mentioned that here in the past two years. Every Deputy I know has mentioned it. The Minister and his predecessor seem to be telling us there is loads of money available. Why is the money not getting out to the people and the communities? If there is €23 million to be spent this year, I would ask the same question as Deputy Ó Cuív, that is, how in God's name is that going to be spent? As far as I know, the roll-out and procedure was changed and anybody with something between his or her eyes would know that that was a bad move. It has destroyed the whole thing. I know there is no point in saying this, and it is water under the bridge. The bottom line is that as I meet those involved in numerous projects in west Cork over the past couple of years and throughout the country, others are desperately seeking this funding and it is not filtering down to the community. The only money that I heard of was when somebody told me that our local Fine Gael Deputy had on posted his Facebook page that he was able to get money for a group. I thought that was the great thing about being on the Leader board, that we never announced who got money. The Leader company announced who got money. Now it looks as if the politician will announce that he has got the news from the Minister or such. There is so little of it coming that that is why everybody is talking about it and asking whether Leader funding is starting. Is it? Maybe the Minister could enlighten us as to when or how this will be spent and why it is not getting to people.