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

If they were forced to submit them, at a minimum, quarterly, it would be far easier to predict possible underspends, correct and reallocate. It is far more difficult when one is playing a guessing game and ringing up trying to find out what they are doing. One would expect that the money is spent continuously, particularly in respect of multi-annual projects. This is a problem with local authorities. It is not a new problem or one that any Minister has managed to crack, but we must keep trying to resolve it because it is a most unsatisfactory way for the authorities to do their business. The bills should be submitted on a quarterly basis. In other Departments, the failure to do so has led to shortfalls. It creates far more work for the Department in trying to track what is happening on the ground.