Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Connaughton for his comments. This time around there will be changes to the application process. As I said earlier, a new website has been set up. Any club intending to make an application should now register on it. We are looking at the last round to see how the process can be improved. In the last round there were 2,171 applications. We are now trying to streamline it. The difficulty that arose was for those clubs whose applications were deemed invalid. We are hoping with this round that, through this new website, we might be able to tell those clubs if their applications are invalid earlier and not to progress with it.

This is the second round of the grants in the lifetime of this Government in very difficult economic times. I compliment my senior Minister and everyone in the Department. We are delighted we got the funding again. We are hoping to have the application process open by the end of the year.

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