Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)

My question refers to the spread of grant aid allocations. People in counties Cavan and Monaghan are not receiving their fair share of grant aid. This is a frequent bone of contention. At times, the way some grants are allocated smacks of political patronage. I will refer to some allocations for 2003, but not to the most recent ones because they have been well bandied about. Three concerns in the south Kerry area received more grant aid than allocated to eight counties, namely, counties Cavan, Monaghan, Laois, Sligo, Carlow, Limerick, Longford and Westmeath. All I am seeking is that the people in my area get their fair share of grant aid allocations. Two clubs to which the Minister for Finance belongs were given more grant aid allocations than those given counties Cavan and Monaghan in 2003. There is an element of unfairness in such allocations.

I will refer to two clubs which submitted grant applications which are in difficulties.

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