Decisions on the disbursement of funds from dormant accounts moneys are currently a matter for the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board, an independent body established under the Dormant Accounts Acts. The board engaged Area Development Management Limited, ADM, to administer the initial round of funding on its behalf which involves the disbursement of up to €60 million from the fund.
Following an invitation to groups and organisations to make applications for funding, over 1,600 applications were received by ADM in 2004. I understand that 21 of the applications received were in respect of proposals in County Kildare. The process of assessing and making decisions on these applications is ongoing and nearing completion. In this regard, to date the board has approved 420 projects for funding totalling approximately €42 million. Ten of the projects approved, involving funding of approximately €1.5 million, are based in County Kildare.