Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

It is important to give the Deputy the facts and details before me. There was additional demand and some €58 million was paid in 2009 to 180 projects, which supported approximately 7,500 jobs. The remaining €20 million has been allocated to the fund for 2010. Therefore, from the launch of the scheme in 2009 to date, some 197 projects from 193 companies have been approved for funding. No company to date which has qualified and met the criteria has been left without a grant. Those companies that were rejected did not meet the criteria. We estimate in the Department that we have approximately 30 applications waiting to be assessed and we have approximately €6 million still in the fund. The 30 applications are now being evaluated and will be dealt with over the next couple of months.

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