John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that there are a number of different elements when it comes to funding. We might drill down into the funding that is being allocated. The Minister of State cited the 800 different projects that were invested in since 2017 through the community infrastructure fund. In the recent round of funding, there was a 53% deficit in demand for that scheme. There was a 67% disparity in the context of the Ireland Against Racism fund. That is a major deficit in circumstances where communities are putting together applications and applying for funding and where the level of funding that is available falls short of what is being sought and is needed. Given the huge pressures within communities and the massive challenges for the Department, it is critical that an audit is carried out to ensure that the money that is being spent is being properly targeted and second, that the appropriate level of funding is going in to address the many deficits within communities to ensure the people who need our protection are being welcomed with open arms into our communities.

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