Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)

They are doing so. I get the list. The Department makes recommendations and I have a look at the list. I see the ones that are categorised as ineligible or that do not meet the test. There was one I wanted to give money to. Deputies Donnelly and Gannon would have wanted to give money to it as well. When we are giving money, we have to ensure that the entity we are giving it to is the entity responsible for, say, employing a person. A lot of this money goes towards hiring individuals who are going to work in communities counselling people who are in drug addiction or something of that nature. If we are giving money to an entity, that entity has to be the one that is going to employ the person who is going to be paid the money. It is issues like that which prevent very worthwhile applications for succeeding.

What I say to officials in my Department - and said in respect of the application in question - is that I want them to meet the people and given them feedback on the way they need to do this. It is tricky for the Department. I can do that once or twice, but I cannot do it for everyone. We need to present applying to the fund in an easier way so people know if they fill out basic information they will get it. I do not want to give too much detail, but some people were refused because they were looking for funding that clearly did not relate to safety. Many of the applications are for CCTV systems. In a small town, people sometimes want money for CCTV. However, with funding for individuals to hire somebody who could counsel kids in an area or try to deter them from getting involved in drugs, paying somebody is involved and there has to be an entity to which I am giving the money that is going to employ the person. If it did not and money went missing or whatever, the Cathaoirleach would correctly be hauling me back in here to ask what kind of procedures I have in place to regulate what happens in respect of the money I give out.