Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)

I have looked at our applications for the past four years. Is the Minister saying it is all down to expertise which is particularly good in certain countries? For example, County Kerry has done extraordinarily well over a number of years. If we compare that county with Meath, a county with almost exactly the same population, in 2002 County Kerry got almost four times the amount. The same happened with regard to swimming pools. Kerry got funding for four swimming pools, but there are some counties that got no funding allocation. The same happened also with regard to arts grants. Six counties, including Kildare, got nothing under the access programme since 2002. What is the reason for this? Why do some counties do disproportionately well? Kerry does exceptionally well.

Is the Minister aware there is a particular difficulty in developing areas? In places where many houses are built it takes time for the area to function as a community and it is more difficult for such growing communities to make an application for funds as they are not established. Counties like Kildare, Meath and Fingal are disadvantaged in that regard.

I see no rationale for the census of population having a bearing on this. If it does not have a bearing, what is the basis for allocations to a county? Is whoever represents the county the key factor in terms of how well a county does in terms of lottery grants?

See this speech in context