Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

Second, a measure is being introduced at present which appears to overlap across a variety of different Departments on a national and local basis. I refer to a scheme for sports equipment for socially and economically disadvantaged areas to which one can apply. A total of €2 million has been set aside nationally. While I consider that to be a paltry sum of money, someone somewhere made that decision. In real terms, the amount involved for County Leitrim is €12,000 each in respect of the youth and sports sides of the scheme. Initially, the Department of Education and Science was responsible for implementing the scheme and forms were issued. However, County Leitrim VEC subsequently discovered that the Department was passing it on to the local partnership bodies where such bodies exist. In the case of County Leitrim, none exists as yet and it was obliged to prepare a new form. Finally, the closing dates differed and the applicants were then informed that henceforth, Pobal would be responsible for the transmission and investigation of these claims.