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

I thank the Minister for her reply. Obviously, funding to any community is important, and I would certainly welcome any moneys that have gone to the Kinsale library project, Bandon town centre or Sherkin Island. The Minister said, however, that there are 215 projects in total, and I think this scheme has been up and running for about five years. It is incredible, to say the least, that Cork South-West has ended up with only three projects across the line in that much time. There is a project on Dursey Island that has been pulled. There is a project in the Schull harbour area in respect of which, prior to Deputy Humphreys becoming Minister, the committee involved was brought up here and congratulated that it had got the money. A week later, when the money was announced, it had slipped away to some other constituency. A project such as the Schull harbour one would have been of huge benefit to the whole of the Mizen Peninsula. These are areas that find it difficult to survive in winter. There needs to be a bigger focus on communities like Cork South-West for this funding.

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