Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In respect of the last programme, there was a value for money audit done in 2011. From that audit, we were told that we were not to continue the practice of the previous scheme. That was in the report. I took over this programme in the middle of last year when I took over the new Department. I was anxious to get the programme out before the end of the year.

This is why I made sure that funding was made available to me. The LCDCs and the local authorities gave out to me on the basis that it was too late in the year to get that funding out. The value for money audit programme told me it did not want the structure that was in place. There were 51 areas at the time with co-ordinators so it felt we were not getting best value for money. This is why I must introduce a new scheme, why I am looking at the scheme and why when I announce the scheme at the end of May I intend to address some of the issues mentioned by the Deputy. I gave a commitment to the Deputy in the committee that I would come back to the committee. This is one of the issues we can tease out then.

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