Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Smith. To follow on from what I was saying earlier, 100% of the 8,000 plus applications that applied in tranche 1 were approved. Anybody who applied was eligible for the grant.

Yesterday, I made a decision on tranche 2. It has been open since the start of July. Anybody can apply between July and now. Up to a few days ago, we had almost 3,000 applications. I wanted to make sure we could close that tranche in a way that they could start to be processed because I want those who have applied for that who want to do their work next year to be able to get on with it. If I had let that tranche run much longer, it would have run until the start of next year and would have affected that.

By announcing a closing date, I did not want to announce it for 1 January. Advisers have had a tough enough year and I did not want them having an avalanche of new applicants coming at them in the next week or two running up to Christmas. I wanted, at the same time, to give two or three days so that if they had something on their desk which was near completion, they could get it in. That is why the closing date is tomorrow evening. I also announced in the process that the next closing date will be 12 April. The next tranche will close on 12 April. Anyone who wishes to submit an application from next week onwards will have to 12 April.

I am still considering the dribble bar issue and I acknowledge the points the Deputy makes in that regard.

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