Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have been in and out of many areas in urban as well as rural locations. This is a new problem that has developed. While the Deputy says it is a Government problem, the Government does not own some of the community halls. They may be owned by the church, local authorities or communities. A lot of the schemes and community organisations operating in them are being funded by the Government, rightly so. If we did not have those involved providing services, they would not exist. I appreciate that, but we have a problem and I am trying to help in dealing with it in some way. However, I will need cross-Government support. I have a small Department and the funding about which the Deputy is talking is not within my budget. I am making some funding available to deal with one or two of the problems highlighted by the Deputy and know that the same problems in other areas will be raised. It is something at which I have to look with the Government. I cannot give a commitment in circumstances in which funding is not available in my budget line for next year. Nevertheless, I am making some funding available to deal with the problems we have. Ultimately, there will have to be a cross-Government decision.

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