Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Despite the fact that there is €40 million in the Estimate, there is always a big delay between getting an application approved and actually spending the money. Even allowing for the administration money that will be taken out of that €40 million, and whatever legacy funding is left over from the previous programme, the Minister is likely to have an underspend of €30 million this year. Will she use that money for other purposes within the Department? There will be a massive underspend, or what used to be termed a cash cow, in the Department. Will the Minister seek permission from the Department of Finance to reallocate that to priority rural areas within her Department's remit, to ensure that that money is used this year? There is no way it can be spent on Leader this year.

See this speech in context