Local Government Staff.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 March 2010

Tuesday, 2 March 2010

Questions (376, 377)

Deirdre Clune

Question:

420 Deputy Deirdre Clune asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he received a request from Cork County Council, on behalf of the South West Regional Authority, seeking authorisation for that authority to employ two extra staff as part of a project fully funded by the European Union; if his attention was drawn to the fact that this was an urgent request and that a delay in responding to it may result in the South West Regional Authority losing the EU funding for the project; when this request was acted upon; the reason there was a delay in replying to it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10272/10]

Deirdre Clune

Question:

421 Deputy Deirdre Clune asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has replied to a request from Cork County Council, on behalf of the South West Regional Authority, seeking authorisation for that authority to employ two extra staff as part of a project fully funded by the European Union; if the request has not yet been replied to when he will reply; if he will confirm that failure to employ these two extra staff will result in the Authority losing €500,000 in EU funding; the reason behind his decision to authorise this request or not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10273/10]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Deputy John Gormley)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 420 and 421 together.

My Department received a request from Cork County Council on behalf of the South West Regional Authority seeking sanction for the employment of two staff as part of a project fully funded by the European Union. This request was received by my Department on 10 February 2010 with approval issuing to Cork County Council on the 24 February 2010.