Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 81:

. In page 29, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following:

“European Union funding

35.For the avoidance of doubt, the Mayor may apply on behalf of Limerick City and County Council for European Union funding or grants in order to further or initiate projects or

policies within Limerick City and County.”.

Amendment No. 81 seeks to insert a new section into the Bill. This is important and ties into some of the environmental matters we have addressed. Amendment No. 81 seeks to provide that the mayor could apply "on behalf of Limerick City and County Council for European Union funding or grants in order to further or initiate projects or policies within Limerick City and County.". I hope it is just a clarifying provision and the Minister of State will be able to come back to me and tell me the mayor will already have those powers and that he or she will not need to seek approval from the Government for that. I want to have that clear. For example we know certain cities have been a lot better at applying for EU funding than others. For example, the new mayor of Limerick may want to development a partnership with another European city and wish to access some of the funds which are directly available only to municipalities and cities. This could be around environmental issues and initiatives or any type of initiatives such as sustainability, regeneration, intergenerational and youth initiatives and public space initiatives. There are a lot of kinds and forms of funding available to European cities both individually and when working in co-operation with other European cities. The hope would be that the mayor, because he or she will have a short time period, would be able to step in and take advantage and give leadership around applying to those and not solely be dependent on Government schemes. It would be where the European Union allows for a direct application from a municipality that the mayor would be able to initiate that process. Maybe that is already the case or envisaged to be the case so I hope this is just a clarification but perhaps the Minister of State can make that clarification.