Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The new forms will make it easier for organisations to submit applications. I reduced the local contribution which must be made in disadvantaged and CLÁR areas. I did everything in my power to target funding to disadvantaged areas, but the criteria had to be met. To be fair to the officials, when they sent out the criteria for the programme they also offered clubs and organisations a service whereby they could telephone the office in Killarney to speak to officials and go through the applications prior to their submission. The officials were prepared to do this. Every effort was made to make it easy for organisations because most of them work in a voluntary capacity. I respect this which is why I reduced the contribution required from disadvantaged and CLÁR areas and tried to make it easier. I was delighted that for the first time in ten years more than 40% of the allocation went to disadvantaged areas. I stated before the allocations were made that I wanted to target disadvantaged areas and I did so. Every valid application submitted from Dublin received funding, but a number of organisations in disadvantaged areas submitted invalid applications. If those applications had been valid they would have been considered for funding.

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