Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the comments. She is correct in what she said about CLÁR funding. It is not always big money that creates an impression. It is often small money that makes a major difference to small communities. As I said in my reply, I am doing a review of the CLÁR programme and it is time there was a proper review of it. I will put that review out at the end of the year and I will get some professional people to examine it. I will talk to communities, groups and everybody concerned. In my region there are areas that do not come under CLÁR and other areas that do come under it. Some of those areas have moved on and the other areas need a lift. Therefore, I need to review the programme. It is a good one under which we can target areas. The Deputy is correct in what she said about the Border areas. They have problems that other areas do not have and other areas have problems that the Border areas do not have. The CLÁR programme is working well. I will try to get a review of it done as quickly as possible as I need to examine other areas in terms of the CLÁR programme where I can spend money and specify where I want it to be spent.

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