Community volunteers are having to use their own money to cover projects while awaiting grant payments, Roscommon councillors have warned.
Cllr Paschal Fitzmaurice called for a small bridging finance fund at Monday’s monthly council meeting, saying some groups could not afford to buy equipment or materials even after being awarded funding.
His proposal concerned small grants from Roscommon County Council, with the money advanced to groups and repaid when their grant was released.
Cllr Fitzmaurice said amounts of €1,000 to €3,000 could make a significant difference to Tidy Towns committees and other voluntary organisations.
“We shouldn’t be complicating things, we should be helping people,” he said.
Seconding the proposal, Cllr Michael Holland described the difficulty of paying upfront for bedding plants, fuel and other expenses. Volunteers were putting their hands in their own pockets and then waiting for reimbursement, he said.
Council management raised concerns about the authority’s ability to lend money, the financial risks involved and the administration required. Its written response said any lending scheme would require a policy framework, legal agreements and financial controls.
During the debate, the chief executive told members: “We’re not a bank.”
Cllr Valerie Duffy suggested exploring whether a proportion of a grant could be paid in advance, while Cllr John Keogh offered to bring the issue before the relevant Strategic Policy Committee.
Members agreed to refer the proposed micro bridging fund, or another mechanism to address the problem, to the committee for consideration.
