Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is an elected representative. He will remember his time on the local council. I admire the fact that he fought to retain the dual mandate. He knows the trick that is played. By the time a scheme is brought to a representative, one cannot go against it because it would be like hitting someone. The people behind the scheme do not come to the elected representative before the list is drawn up. It is the same when a list of roads to be fixed is created.

As public representatives we know about this structural problem. Let us suppose someone comes in with a list of six or seven projects. It is too late to start changing them, so what do we do? We endorse them.

I am pleased the Minister has admitted that there is a danger here. I am reassured as long as he is aware of the danger of pet projects. My fear is that the pet projects will be in the stronger or growing places and not the weaker ones. I am articulating a genuine concern. I have been listening during the past week or two and people are using Project Ireland 2040 as an excuse. That is a problem.

The Minister stated that a LEADER company can become the promoter of a project. Is that correct?