47 projects in Tipperary have failed to secure funding under the Rural Development Programme this year.
Their omission led to much debate at the April meeting of Tipperary County Council.
The projects in question failed to meet the criteria for the scheme which now includes a “deprivation index”.
Independent Councillor Micheál Lowry says the changes have left many parts of Tipperary ineligible – in some cases neighbouring parishes have found themselves on different sides of the split.
However Director of Services Sinead Carr pointed out that social deprivation wasn’t the only selection criteria used for the programme.
She told councillors that the “expression of interest form” being used aimed at cutting down on the workload for local community groups who might not qualify.
The scheme was previously administered by the Leader groups in Tipperary but now comes under the remit of the Local Community Development Committee.
However Sinn Fein Councillor Seamie Morris says the latest version has to make do with 60% less funding so naturally something had to give.
