Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Communities that want to do something for their local area such as get a new roof for their small community centre or communities that want to provide other facilities around the country apply for funding and are faced with huge amounts of bureaucracy and they run into problems. The situation is catastrophic. That is reflected in the payments that are being made. No money was spent in the first two years of the programme. Since then a trickle of money has begun to be paid. There are only two years left in the programme. How will it be possible to spend €200 million in two years? It just does not seem logical that it is possible to do it given the way the process has worked up to now. I know the Minister will do his best to try to get the money spent and I appreciate that but it is not happening on the ground for communities. Since the local authorities became involved in the process the brakes have been applied all of a sudden and nothing has moved since then. Some reflection is needed on where this process has brought us.

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