Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Under Project Ireland 2040, the Government has committed to provide an additional €1 billion for the rural regeneration fund. Last week, the third round of funding under this fund was announced. The constituency of Cork South-West was again overlooked, even though there were shovel-ready projects that have been ready since the inception of the fund, believe it or not. In the previous round six months ago, in spite of several projects applying, Cork South-West got nothing. Listening to many people in west Cork in the last week, they feel the rural regeneration fund has numerous questions hanging over it. I do not begrudge any county getting funds from it. County Mayo got €6.4 million last week. Can the Taoiseach step in this time on the same question I asked him six and 12 months ago? A community voluntary group in Schull, west Cork, has spent €500,000 in voluntary donations and has a shovel-ready harbour development project that would be a game-changer for west Cork. No matter what they do and how many times they apply, they cannot get one cent under the fund.

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