Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response. However, I am disappointed the Minister and the Department will not recognise the potential multiplier effect any Government intervention would have in supporting organisations applying for EU funding. The Minister says it is heartening to see the increased level of allocations to date compared with the previous programme and hopes this will continue. While I am sure it will continue, the great potential that exists is being missed by the Department. I encourage the Minister to engage with The Wheel, which has done important work around matched funding proposals, and with Creative Europe Desk Ireland, as the Oireachtas joint committee recently did. I am disappointed the Government will not realise the potential for an intervention here.