In a long, contentious and at times fractious meeting on Tuesday night, members of Lismore Town Council discussed the submissions they’d received for funding for a community project they wanted to fund before they are abolished in May.

Town manager Paul Daly, had reviewed all of the submissions and prepared a chart for members showing where they came in terms of meeting the criteria they’d set.

After some considerable debate it was agreed once again that they had no choice but to rule out a submission from the Lismore Community First Responders, as it had been received after the closing date which was a separate stipulation from meeting the criteria. A letter from the group’s chairperson took issue with members for ruling them out of contention at their last meeting, explaining that they hadn’t seen notification of the scheme and invitation to make submissions, including the closing date. If they were ruled out, the chairperson said, other groups too would have to be ruled out for otherwise not meeting the criteria.

Members went through the applications one by one, their benchmark being that, as they’d agreed, it should be a community-based significant capital project. A capital project was explained by the town manager as something that can be recognised as a fixed asset on a balance sheet – considered collateral, in other words.

Cllr John Heneghan didn’t mince his words when he said the quality of the submissions was poor. Some, he said, were ‘very shabby’.  Most, he argued, didn’t meet the basic criteria in that they couldn’t be considered capital projects and they hadn’t included budgets and financial projections as they’d been required to do. Only one, he said, was done perfectly and met all criteria – Lismore Soccer Club. They were loking for funding to finish their clubhouse and changing rooms.

It was particularly surprising in the case of some others who have full time professional people working for them, that they didn’t make proper submissions, he said.

As members debated whether or not they could proceed and consider some other of the projects, Cllr Orla Russell said she had to leave the meeting as there was a conflict of interest in that she was involved with the soccer club. Cllr Julie Landers asked her not to, pointing out that she was involved in the drama group which also had a submission in and with St Carthage’s Nursing Home and the First Responders group. Other members too were involved with some of the groups that had applied, she pointed out. Cllr Russell felt however that she had to leave and she did so, returning to the meeting at a later stage.

Members resumed their discussion and voiced concern that they’d be seen to be changing the rules. All submissions were worthy of support, they agreed. They discussed, but dismissed, the idea of splitting the funding between two or more groups, agreeing to stick to their previous decision that it be funding for a single community project.

“We rushed into this and we got it very wrong,” Cllr Jimmy O’Gorman said with Cllr Julie Landers agreeing with him. Cllr O’Gorman also said he hadn’t recommended that the GAA club he’s involved with make a submission, because he didn’t think it was appropriate for local sporting clubs to apply. Then they found that the soccer club had applied.

The town manager at that stage advised members that they had previously agreed they could shortlist some projects and go back to the groups for further information. It was agreed to proceed on that basis. Each project was gone through and the eight submissions were whittled down to four. The others were ruled out as not meeting important elements of the criteria. The four shortlisted to be asked for further information are St Carthage’s Cathedral which was seeking funding for structural works to preserve and digitise its cotton library, St Carthage’s nursing home which, while it couldn’t be considered on the submission made because it was for funding towards operational costs, could be considered if it was for a structure such as a new laundry building they need. Also in is the submission by Lismore Heritage Centre for funding to develop the walk at the Round Hill and the soccer club’s application.

It was agreed that the town manager would seek legal advice to ensure their decision was proper and correct and if it is found to be the four shortlisted groups will be written to and asked to furnish further details. The soccer club will be invited to submit any extra detail they’d like to give. They have just two weeks, until Tuesday, February 25th to get it in by. Anyone not meeting the criteria the next night would be automatically ruling themselves out, it was agreed.

When Cllr Russell rejoined the meeting she was angry that the three other projects are being considered alongside the soccer club. They (the soccer club) were the only ones, in her view, that had done what was asked and met all the criteria. “There’ll be uproar if the soccer club doesn’t get something,” she warned.

They’ll discuss the matter again at their next meeting on March 3rd.