Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I could not agree more with the Deputy. Parents are very busy, but it is not the job of the Department either. We have put the funding initiatives in place and the local authorities can engage with us on them. They are best suited to that role in such developments given their skills and knowledge of what is needed in each area. Under CLÁR alone, we funded 17 projects in Cork in 2023. In 2024 we funded 23 projects. The two tranches amount to almost €2 million between them. We have the funding for facilities. We engage through the local authorities because they are the best mechanism. They have the on-the-ground expertise. I gave the Deputy a good example of a development yesterday using both programmes. The funding is there under different streams. Good local authorities engage with us and draw down the funding which delivers for parents and families.

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