Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I appreciate that he will raise the issue of the €320,000 with the Minister of State, Deputy Finneran, and inform him that a representative from Clúid addressed Bundoran Town Council earlier this summer and said the money was still available to be drawn down and that the Department was waiting on an application from the community. This matter has been going on for eight years and I would appreciate if it was referred to the Minister of State, Deputy Finneran, because it might just be the push required to get the money drawn down.

I thank the Minister of State for the frankness displayed in his response to the other issues. The representative of Clúid — as I have been informed by Councillor Michael McMahon in Bundoran, who addressed the meeting in Bundoran — told those attending that an application had gone to the Department, but a positive response was not expected. Clúid also contacted Donegal County Council, but it does not have funds available to remedy the situation.

I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, to bring to the attention of Deputy Finneran again the fact that an application has been made. Perhaps he will correspond with me on the matter and see if anything can be done, even in the interim, to help alleviate the problems in which these tenants find themselves.