Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 27 November 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development

Rural Regeneration and Development Fund: Discussion

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

A speaker did so a while ago and there was no problem. I am living in the community in question, so I know the project well. For a voluntary community organisation to raise €500,000 for a project it believes will be a game changer for the whole peninsula and far beyond, as with the Mizen Head Signal Station, and then get refused without finding out the real reason for refusal leaves a lot of questions to be answered. It does not matter what the name of the project is. Refusals leave a lot of unanswered questions and a sour taste in the mouths of people of Cork South-West. There are other projects also but I will not get into the detail.

When a voluntary community organisation is bending, twisting and turning in the best way possible to carry out what is a super project that is shovel ready, the matter should be addressed. With some of the projects that received funding 12 months ago, there has been no shovel turned yet. This raises the question as to how funding was given to projects that might not have been shovel ready, but which may have let on they were, and not given to a project that is ready to roll and has planning permission. The latter is continually refused. It begs many questions about the rural regeneration funds. I cannot answer them. I have raised them in the Dáil. The Minister cannot answer. I have been trying to raise the same question for seven or eight months but cannot get answers. I would appreciate it if Ms Rooney enlightened me today. If projects have been refused, they are going to reapply if they believe they are worthy. If they address an issue that they might not have been aware of, will they be eligible for funding afterwards? I would appreciate a reply.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.