|
|
Partnership urged to spend the
money
12.10.09
SENATOR Cecilia
Keaveney has urged Inishowen Development Partnership
to speed up the allocation of its budget to eligible
projects in need of funding around the peninsula.
She made her call after being informed by Minister
Eamon O Cuiv, that both Inishowen Development
Partnership and Donegal Local Development Company
Ltd., had "significant monies" yet to be allocated.
And she revealed that Mr O Cuiv was well disposed to
allocating more funding if good projects remain
unfunded - but only if all existing monies are drawn
down.
Senator Keaveney said Inishowen Development
Partnership had committed just over a third of its
three-year funds while the Donegal Local Development
Company Ltd., had committed 45%. The funding is for
the years 2009, 2010 and 2011.
"Inishowen Development Partnership has 99% of the
monies available specifically to 2009 committed -
but this is just 37% of the three-year window," she
said.
"The ability for community groups to be allocated
and then draw down their funds and get their paper
work completed in a short space of time is not the
usual process. Drawing down of funding by its nature
is a slow process". |
She said Minister O
Cuiv was insistent that "we should be working with
our groups to allocate funding in a front-loaded
manner". He also indicated where monies were all
drawn down, he would be positively disposed to
allocating more funding should good projects remain
unfunded.
"I believe that both Inishowen Development
Partnership and Donegal Development Company Ltd.,
are excellent operations that have delivered hugely
to the county. |
 |
The message from the
Minister is to go on and be confident to allocate
monies to our community projects. It is a win-win
situation all round for us to get spending and
getting the projects delivered on the ground," said
Senator Keaveney.
In the case of Donegal Local Development Company
Ltd, while 125% of the 2009 allocation is committed,
this was only 45% of the monies available in the
three-year envelope, she added. |
|
