Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1722. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to ensure the full spend of all funding provided to his Department for 2017 including carryover of capital from 2016 and prepayments to local authorities made in 2016 or 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37288/17]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1724. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to ensure the full spend of funds transferred to his Department in 2017 under transfer of functions orders including the completion of works for which funding was prepaid to local authorities in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37290/17]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1722 and 1724 together.

My officials are currently in the process of finalising the Vote structure and 2017 allocation for my new Department with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The Vote will include funding transferring in accordance with the transfer of functions orders, and will include Capital funding for Rural Development programmes.  Expenditure from my Department's new Vote will be made in line with the Public Spending Code. Regular spending reports will be compiled to track progress and take corrective action, where necessary.

With regard to payments made to Local Authorities under the Rural Development Programmes in 2016, all funding was provided in accordance with sanctions received from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and on the basis of Funding Agreements with the Local Authorities.

My Department is keeping expenditure on these programmes under constant review.  As part of this process, my officials actively engage on an ongoing basis with the Local Authorities to establish the current position with regard to project completion and expenditure.

The Local Authorities will be required to account for all funding received and a programme of inspections will also be carried out to ensure that the funding is spent in accordance with the original project proposals.