Concern over admin of €350m moving from Ballaghaderreen to Dublin

CONCERN has been expressed that the government is seeking to relocate the administration of €350m in EU funding from eight northeast and northwestern counties to a department desk in Dublin.

Funding has been administered to date by the Ballaghaderreen-based North West Regional Assembly.

Midlands Northwest Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus commented: “This is a highly concerning move from the Department of Expenditure and one I feel is being considered without the knowledge of the EU Commission.

“The decision making process for each regional assembly’s funds is supposed to be determined within that region. In this instance the North West Regional Assembly, comprising councillors from across these eight counties should have the final say.

“For decades the EU has advocated that regional assemblies would have control of their own funding. Up to now that took place in Ballaghaderreen where the NWRA is based. It is not acceptable for the DEPR to advocate that this substantial funding should now be administered from Dublin.

“We’ve seen time and time again that big central governance on issues like this doesn’t work. It needs to be in the heart of the communities that it will serve.”

MacManus has raised the issue with the Commission and asked if they were informed by the relevant department of the proposed change to the administration process.

“Rest assured, Sinn Féin will be seeking explanations for such a chronic misjudgement and demanding that regional funding continues to be administered at a regional level,” he said.

“For a department in Dublin to try to take control of funding for our region is simply unacceptable.”

The issue was raised at the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council by Charlestown-based Sinn Féin Councillor Gerry Murray.