Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

All of that was done by the amount of work that was put in by local development companies and the people from all of the voluntary and community organisations in those areas. It was an insult. As a result I do not have a great amount of confidence in local authorities, particularly given that since my time spent on the committee there has been a huge cut to staffing levels in county councils. That cut affects what happens. The Minister proposes to put more resources back into the county councils after staff levels were cut.

Let us take rural Connemara as an example. In Clifden or Lettermullan one does not see many county council officials but one will see the people who work for the local development companies on a regular basis which is key. I appreciate the Minister has said that the same people shall remain in the companies but there is a gradual move and the chequebook, initially, is being moved to the county council.