Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Minister to explain why funding to the West Cork Development Partnership has been cut by approximately €2.2 million - according to today's Irish Examiner, the cut is €2.4 million. In effect, there is a 14% cut in this budget whereas other partnership groups have had increases - in one instance, an increase of 58%. Projects in west County Cork, such as those in Goleen, Schull, Ballydehob, Beara, Clonakilty, and Bantry, which have gone through the process, are now left high and dry because of lack of funding. I am sure the Minister will agree that great community effort and energy went into these projects and in some instances a planning process was completed. If these projects were to proceed, it would result in a minimum of 50 to 60 jobs, which would be critical to an area such as west County Cork. Some of these projects are community based, some of them relate to e-commerce and others are tourism projects. As I am sure also applies in the Minister's county, Kilkenny, the Leader programme has delivered great benefit to communities. The money is very well used and the benefits far outweigh the costs.

The West Cork Development Partnership is obviously dismayed at the unilateral usurping and overturning of the money that had been promised and was believed to be in train. It throws a spanner into the works over the future of these partnership groups. In west County Cork, as in rural areas in general, we suffer from a major outflow of people affecting our communities, parishes and GAA clubs. They are emigrating to Australia, Canada, America, Britain or wherever they can get work. The schemes offer some employment and also hope to the communities involved.

There is absolute dismay and concern. Local community groups have contacted me and I have spoken to some of my colleagues, Deputies from west County Cork, who have also rightly come under pressure from these groups. It is not that they are moaning and groaning. Some communities have planned these projects for six, nine or 12 months and in some cases planning permission had been granted. Now with a swipe of a pen by the Minister or someone else in high office, the money has been swept away, leaving these projects high and dry. It is like the periwinkle when the tide goes out - it is left on the rock, dry. These projects are abandoned and I am deeply concerned over the impact and the message we are sending to rural communities. I hope the Minister will have very positive news for me. Knowing that he is a kindly gentleman, he may contact Mr. Ian Dempsey, the CEO of the West Cork Development Partnership, to tell him that the funding is available again so that it can proceed with these projects.