Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Aird. As he said, there has been fantastic delivery in Laois through the community recognition fund, but that is coming from the communities themselves. Over €2 million was allocated across 2023 and 2024. There were 48 projects in 2023, 43 of which have been completed. Ninety-nine percent of the 2023 allocation has been drawn down. Under the fund for 2024, €1,012,996 was approved for eight projects. I look forward to the early drawdown of the funding for those projects.

As the Deputy said, the initiative is community led. It involves working with communities in the towns that propose projects in engagement with their local authorities. It involves very good expenditure and I want to make sure now that the money is all drawn down and the projects are delivered. I do not want to announce projects but not see them delivered on the ground. It is essential that they be delivered and that is going to be our focus now.

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