Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has certainly not explained the position clearly. He says the funding for this year is for the nine months from April to December. What will happen for the three months from January to March? What funding has been allocated for that transition period? We spoke to people on the Ballyfermot and inner city projects today. They say they were never contacted or involved in discussion on this and do not know where the figures were plucked from. They are not based on any figures they handed over to the Department and they do not believe the allocations are based on factual information. They say they need the Minister to reverse the €2 million cut to the SICAP allocation. Otherwise, the equine centre in Ballyfermot will have no manager and will close.

The partnership managers who leverage funds and try to support transparency and accountability on projects will not retain their positions either if the Minister does not review the situation quickly. The administration cap of 25% of overall spend must also be reworked and a longer lead-in time must be provided to secure the level of reduction required.

There are other points about the innovative community development project. I ask the Minister to meet those involved in the projects in Dublin very soon to tease out the problems.

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