Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is correct that we paid local authorities upfront last December. To be fair to them, contracts have to be entered into under the rural economic development zones, REDZ, programme and the town and village scheme, but there has been a substantial improvement in the figures the Deputy received last February. I will provide further information for him through an update on the amount being spent in reply to a later question.

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