Róisín Shortall
Question:179 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recent correspondence from ADM to area partnerships informing them of a 7% budget cut, in the case of the larger partnerships; the reason moneys spent in 2002 but not yet drawn down are now being deferred until 2004; the reason such sums have been deducted from the allocations for 2003; his views on whether such a means of calculating allocations has resulted in an effective budget cut of between 25% and 40% for some partnerships; the implications of these cuts for legal contracts which have been signed between partnerships and community organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11254/03]