Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

My problem is that Deputies now have a copy of the speech I was going to read. They will already know the background to the projects, so I will skip the first page.

As the Deputies will know, when the Leader company in Cavan-Monaghan, the Cavan-Monaghan Rural Development Co-operative Society, evaluated the project in February 2004, it considered the project to be highly innovative and in line with the aims of the Leader programme. Clarification on the sources of the balance of funding was sought before a final recommendation to the board could be made. When the Ballybay Development Association clarified the proposal in August 2004, the amount of Leader funding sought was €65,000, out of a total cost of project of €915,000 excluding the site costs.

I understand from the local Leader company that Ballybay Development Association was at the time trying to secure additional funding for the project. The project secured €340,000 from the International Fund for Ireland but other applications for funding to the National Lottery and Fáilte Ireland were unsuccessful. The difficulties in raising additional funding for the project have meant that Cavan-Monaghan Rural Development Co-operative Society has been unable to allocate funding. The society has worked closely with Ballybay Development Association in the past on this and other projects, including the allocation of €20,000 for enhancement work in the Ballybay town environs, and it hopes to do so again.

It is open to the Leader company, subject to funds being available, to provide additional funding for the project. The development association should be able to go back to the Leader company. However, I cannot in any way influence the decision of a Leader company — the matter is its call — but that option is open to the group.

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