Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My definition of "shovel-ready" is that when a project is ready the planning permissions would be in place. I would expect the application to be ready to go if funding is secured for it. That is what I determine to be a shovel-ready project. If those concerned get approval in November and can start drawing down that funding from the first day of January, I would expect them to start that project immediately. What frustrates me with the town and village renewal scheme, the outdoor recreation scheme and every other scheme in the Department is when that does not happen. Local authorities present projects that are ready to go and seek funding for them but 12 months later I may find they have not got planning permission for them, they were not ready to go and there were other projects on which work could have started. This scheme comes under the 2040 plan. It is important to get the money spent as quickly as possible. To answer the Deputy's question regarding a shovel-ready scheme, if a project is approved in November, people should be on site in December.

See this speech in context