Delay in Leader funding leads to war of words

A delay in Leader funding for Kilmurry Museum has sparked a war of words between Environment Minister Phil Hogan and West Cork Development Partnership.

Mr Hogan has singled out a delay in allocating €500,000 to a historical society in Kilmurry within his broader criticism of “the inefficiency being displayed in some local development companies”.

He said only 43% of total funding approved under the Leader programmes over the last four years has been approved. Some €39m allocated by the Department of the Environment to the 2012 Leader was unspent at the end of last year.