'Double grant' for Mayo sports club is queried by councillor
Cllr Michael Loftus raised the issue.
A councillor has questioned if Community Recognition Fund grants from Mayo Co Council should be given to groups in receipt of other substantial grants.
Cllr Michael Loftus noted at last week's meeting of Ballina Municipal District that Ballina Stephenites had recently received €54,570 from the Community Recognition Fund in addition to an allocation of €500,000 under the Sports Capital Grant and said the former funding should perhaps have been allocated elsewhere.
“€500,000 is a serious amount to receive and should we have give the €54,000 to another group?
“I’m not criticising it or picking on the Stephenites but in general, should we be asking that question so as to give the funding to a group with a better need for it.”
Head of the Ballina Municipal District Declan Turnbull said when a group makes a funding application, they are asked to disclose all grants they have recently received or sought.
“We do ask but when we allocated this funding, Ballina Stephenites didn’t have the Sports Capital approval at the time. If in hindsight we knew they were going to get it, maybe we wouldn’t have prioritised it.”
