Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)

I have a slightly different angle on this issue. In a recent reply to a parliamentary question I tabled on the sunset clause, the Minister stated that slightly more than €23 million was not drawn down between 2001 and 2008. Some of this funding pertained to the Clár and RAPID disadvantaged areas. Can this funding be extended? I refer to the percentage that must be put in place to meet the matching funds, because often such areas do not have the capacity to do so. This reverts to my earlier question. For example, boxing clubs often operate within disadvantaged areas and even if funding is available, they are not always in a position to draw it down because of their lack of resources.

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