Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I never refuse the Deputy's help. Any time he can help me I always take it. I will be honest with him. Yes, some of the schemes he mentioned would fit in my Department. I have already looked for some of them and some of the Departments want to give some of them to me. However, there is one problem. I need to have two things if I am to take over the schemes - money and staff. If I do not get the money or staff I need, I do not want the schemes. We took a scheme from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. It gave us the scheme and the money, but we had to employ our own staff. We did that, which is fine but, in the future, the simple answer is that if any scheme is to be given to my Department, I do not want it if I do not get the funding and the staff I need. Of course, I will take it if I receive the funding and the staff I need. Some of the projects mentioned by the Deputy such as the greenways and so forth would fit perfectly in my Department. I have no difficulty with this, provided there is the funding and staff available.

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