Departmental Programmes
Dail Éireann — 2026-05-21
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Dara Calleary (FF), Mayo

I know, and the Deputy has touched on something there about initiative exhaustion. That is important because we are often asking the same people in communities to lead out on these on the ground. We are generally always asking the same people in local authorities and in local development companies to drive these on the ground. That is something both the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I will reflect on. It is important that we get the scheme back, that we have it on the books of the Department, that it grows in the years to come and that it will make a difference. I think the difference will be measured over a number of years. When I was with the Deputy in his constituency in the winter, I saw a couple of areas where small capital investments would make a big difference. They do not have to be trophy projects or massive projects. Small investments will deliver security to a community. I hear the Deputy 100%. We will engage with the Department of justice around community safety partnerships as well. Definitely, we will reflect on his point about initiative exhaustion. That is very real. For this to be successful, we have to ensure that people have faith in it.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-05-21/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:58+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-21