Minister responds to Mayo meeting request 'to restore confidence'

The Minister for Rural and Community Development has responded to a formal request by elected members of Mayo County Council's for a meeting in an effort 'to restore confidence' between the two organisations.

Relations have broken down following the withdrawal of €1.1 million in capital funding from the council in the aftermath of an audit conducted by the department into the delivery of Greenway projects.

In her response, Minister Heather Humphreys stated: "As members of the county council will be aware, my department’s auditing process has highlighted issues relating to the delivery of the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme by Mayo County Council.

"My officials continue to work closely with officials from the county council on this matter.

"I am aware that Mayo County Council has been undertaking additional assurance work in relation to expenditure under a number of my department’s schemes.

"The priority for my department at this stage is to ensure that the engagement at official level in relation to this assurance work continues.

"My officials will thus continue to engage with Mayo County Council in order to ensure that any risk to the expenditure of public funds is fully identified and managed.

"This, in turn, is intended to provide the assurance required for the full range of benefits under the schemes operated by my department to be availed of by communities in Mayo."

In a recent statement, Independent Councillor Patsy O'Brien said Mayo has lost out on nearly €3 million in funding as a result of the local council having to return €1.1 million in capital funding.

He said the impact this has had on the county was strongly felt recently after many communities, including Balla, Partry, Ballycastle, Ballycroy, Bohola, Belmullet and Louisburgh, were refused funding in the Town and Village Renewal Scheme

Council O'Brien previously raised concerns that Mayo was being penalised because the council was forced to pay back more than one million euro to the department after an internal audit found money drawn down before any work had taken place for tourism and amenity projects for outdoor recreation.

He stated: “Mayo also received no funding in the Rural Regeneration Development Fund where the county was one of just six counties that did not share €21.7 million for various projects.

“Over the two schemes, Mayo should have been allocated in the region of €3 million."

Councillor O'Brien said he really hoped this situation could be rectified as soon as possible.

“Our towns, villages and their residents are suffering. Something needs to be done and quickly," he added.