Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with everything the Minister said. However, the time factor is the big frustration for everyone at this point. We went through a 12-month period of, "Will they, won't they?" Will the Government fund Clare County Council to make this takeover a success? We heard in December that it would, which was a positive development. Then the money came and it was well short of what was hoped for and anticipated. We are at a point where there is an incongruence regarding the figures of what Government is in a position to offer and what the council is willing to take. I was mayor of Clare County Council in 2019. It prides itself, as many local authorities do, in having a balanced budget each year. To take on a liability like this without significant Government funding to see it through its early years to the point where it can wash its own face financially is an important issue. It needs to move on with expediency. To suggest a solution, there are four or five Departments involved, along with Clare County Council and Shannon Group. While we come repeatedly looking for funding operationally to help it develop routes and sustain itself, we need that funding coming in, but they all sit on a considerable bank of capital assets. Perhaps some of those, combined with Government funding, could be pulled together in a multi-departmental approach to make sure this money comes through. Will the Minister comment on that?