Galway Bay fm newsroom - A Galway TD says he's 'baffled' as the Department of Community and Rural Affairs is set to return millions in unspent funds to central Government.
Deputy Eamon O' Cuiv says it's hard to understand how the full allocation could not be used when so many rural projects are desperately seeking funding.
He argues the unspent funds should be used to rollout badly needed village and town upgrade projects under the CLÁR programme.
CLÁR provides funding for small scale projects in rural areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation.
Fianna Fail Deputy O' Cuiv further suggests the funding could be used for the sorely needed upgrade of non-county roads in rural areas.
Deputy O' Cuiv says there's no excuse for money earmarked for rural development to be returned to the Government - and the Department of Community and Rural Affairs needs to get its act together.
