Kildare is 'not missing out on EU money'
Fears that Kildare County Council could be missing out on European Union funding have been expressed by a local councillor - but dismissed by the KCC boss.
Cllr Evie Sammon told a KCC meeting that there are ‘hundreds of EU schemes” and “there’s a chance” we’re missing out on funding.
Calling for the council to explore assigning a staff member as an “EU Funding officer”, She said other countries have done this.
Cllr Sammon said the role of this officer would be to analyse the Council’s strategic plan and identify where EU funding could be used to progress elements of the plan “and to assist community and voluntary organisations in identifying possible funding sources.”
KCC says it is currently undertaking research to develop a workforce plan for the organisation.
As part of this the future resource requirements of the local authority will be assessed. This workforce plan will be subject to provision of funding and will require sanction from the Department of Housing and Local Government and Heritage for any additional resources above the current staff levels.
KCC’s chief executive Sonya Kavanagh commented that any money that is available from the EU is not infrastructural work but is likely available for action plans and could not fund construction projects.
“I don’t think there’s funding out that we’re not availing of,” she said.