Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

When will the local people be making the decision? This organisation has failed to secure any State funding for the past two years despite the large number of people it is supporting. The Minister of State was correct in what he said. This organisation has organised bucket collections and fundraising cycling events. The former Taoiseach, at my invitation, participated in a fundraising cycle event not alone to raise money but to create awareness of this service. It is not right or proper that people are out in wet weather shaking buckets and selling scratch cards and lotto tickets in order to provide a service that the State should be providing. I accept the service needs to be streamlined to avoid duplication but there is no duplication of this service in Mullingar. These are the people providing the service in Mullingar. They still do not know the funding for which the organisation will be eligible next year. That is not right. They must be given a clear timeframe in order that they might know the funding for which they will qualify next year. It is not fair to expect people to provide a service voluntarily and for tens of people to fundraise voluntarily for that service, which should be provided for by the State.

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