David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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43. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 70 of 26 September 2023, the amount of funding made available and drawn down to date under the rural regeneration and development fund on a project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26445/24]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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This question has to do with funding being made available by the Department but not being drawn down or only being drawn down after an awfully long time while costs increase dramatically in the meantime. I have highlighted one particular case with the Minister but there are many projects on the Department's desk where funding has been made available but has not been drawn down yet. What is going to happen in respect of these projects?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the RRDF is a strategic capital investment fund that is key to the delivery of Ireland's rural development policy, Our Rural Future. The Youghal public library project was awarded funding of just over €4 million under the third call for category 1 proposals to the fund in 2021. The project will renovate and extend derelict buildings and a site on Youghal's North Main Street to provide a new library and revitalised streetscape.

Since the funding was approved in 2021, the condition of the building has deteriorated further and some fundamental structural issues relating to internal floors have come to light. Cork County Council is carrying out works to rectify this issue and is providing the funding to complete these preliminary remedial works, which are expected to be completed by the end of the summer. Following the completion of these initial works, the council will tender for the construction contract to deliver the library project.

It is in the nature of large-scale ambitious capital projects that unforeseen issues can sometimes arise that must be rectified before a project can progress. My officials are in ongoing contact with the council to ensure the project progresses as efficiently as possible. The amount of funding drawn down for the project to date is €224,642. Further drawdowns are expected over the remainder of the year with the bulk of the funding to be drawn down in 2025 and 2026. It is estimated that the project will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Given the benefits this project can deliver to the community in Youghal, I have requested my officials to remain in ongoing contact with Cork County Council to support the delivery of this very important project.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for her response. I am glad this project is moving forward. If funding was granted in 2021 and it will not be ready until 2026, that is quite a while to wait. I understand that there are structural issues.

The second question I asked was whether there are many other such projects in the Department where funding was granted quite a considerable while ago but where it has not been drawn down and may not be drawn down at all. What happens in those cases? Is there a time limit? If nothing is happening, is the money reallocated? If so, is it reallocated in the same region or does it go back into the Department's general budget? What goes on?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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When I allocate money to projects, the one thing I want to see is that it is spent. We engage regularly with the local authorities. I have to be honest here; some local authorities are excellent at getting funding, drawing it down and delivering projects and some are not quite as efficient with that process. We speak to local authorities regularly. I will tell any Deputies here who know of projects that are not moving on in their local authority areas that it is not because we are not giving them the money but because something has happened. In fairness, difficulties sometimes arise that were not anticipated but I think the work could sometimes be done more quickly. Every time I meet local authority chief executives, I impress upon them the need to spend the money. I have gone so far as to say that, if the money is not being spent, it will be taken into consideration when I am allocating further funding. I do not like taking it back because I am then faced with a barrage of questions from local Deputies as to why the money is being taken away from such a good project. The Deputy will know that it can be difficult at times but I do keep the pressure on.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for her response. I have a final supplementary. Given the amount of time that has elapsed since this project was initially grant funded, the costs have invariably gone up. Is the Minister open to making further moneys available to the project if required?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I agree with the Deputy that sometimes when projects are delayed the cost increases. There is no doubt about that. We look at them and if there are genuine reasons and it can be shown the costs have increased, we help out because we want to see these projects delivered. They are very important. The Youghal project is a public library and we know how important public libraries are. I have been to the one in Kinsale. It is a fabulous library. It has been delivered and is open and working. It is a great job. It is expected Cork County Council will submit a request for additional funding when the tender is complete and the final costs confirmed. The current estimate will be requested. I do not want to give out figures here because sometimes it can have an impact on the tender process. Officials are engaging with Cork County Council to progress this project. We do not have an unlimited supply of money. We have a quantity surveyor and we ensure what projects get is going to be spent and stands up to scrutiny. We are in the business of working with local authorities and of getting projects delivered, but we must ensure it is done in a way that is responsible. This is taxpayers' money at the end of the day.