Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the new year, we will have the new 2018 applicants and we hope to allocate funding sometime in the spring. For the first time ever, and before the allocation stage, if an application is incomplete or something has been omitted the applicants will be written to seeking a correction. The initiative should substantially reduce the number of invalid applications and create an awful lot of goodwill. Unfortunately, the initiative will slow down the process. There will be a second chance so that one slight omission from a document or an anomaly or anomalies can be corrected. It will be the first time that applicants will be afforded that opportunity. The Minister and I were very keen to ensure that would happen. The initiative is fair to the applicants and the volunteers, ultimately, who put the applications together.