Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

When I allocate money to projects, the one thing I want to see is that it is spent. We engage regularly with the local authorities. I have to be honest here; some local authorities are excellent at getting funding, drawing it down and delivering projects and some are not quite as efficient with that process. We speak to local authorities regularly. I will tell any Deputies here who know of projects that are not moving on in their local authority areas that it is not because we are not giving them the money but because something has happened. In fairness, difficulties sometimes arise that were not anticipated but I think the work could sometimes be done more quickly. Every time I meet local authority chief executives, I impress upon them the need to spend the money. I have gone so far as to say that, if the money is not being spent, it will be taken into consideration when I am allocating further funding. I do not like taking it back because I am then faced with a barrage of questions from local Deputies as to why the money is being taken away from such a good project. The Deputy will know that it can be difficult at times but I do keep the pressure on.

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