Taoiseach’s Mayo village cycling club hits jackpot with Lottery grant

spyderski

Yeah, seems like an error. I was actually looking to see how much Western Care received from the Dept. fund.

Coincidentally it was also €20,000, same as for the spin bikes....

"The current service for children under the age of six, for instance, has the same level of staffing now for up to 80 children as it did four years ago for 35-40 children.”
"With 400 adult service users, it is hard to believe that Western Care only has a physiotherapist funded for one day a week."

Now, if you can justify this, or think it's OK, good luck to you.

@ ted1 - have a little think about it before defending the indefensible yet again.

ted1

spyderski wrote: »

You see, I have no idea what it's paying for. The PRO says it's for spin bikes, but as they wouldn't qualify for funding, I can only guess what the purpose is.

The application would state what its for, spending on something else would be fraud and possible a criminal matter.
Think carefully if defamation laws and answer this, do you think that they are spending money grant money on something other than what it was assigned for ?

ted1

spyderski wrote: »

Yeah, seems like an error. I was actually looking to see how much Western Care received from the Dept. fund.

Coincidentally it was also €20,000, same as for the spin bikes....

"The current service for children under the age of six, for instance, has the same level of staffing now for up to 80 children as it did four years ago for 35-40 children.”
"With 400 adult service users, it is hard to believe that Western Care only has a physiotherapist funded for one day a week."

Now, if you can justify this, or think it's OK, good luck to you.

@ ted1 - have a little think about it before defending the indefensible yet again.

It's wholly irrelevant as the option wasn't to give to A or B.
Did the autism group apply for a grant? The money was from lottery funds, maybe the autism group don't meet the criteria. Maybe the management there need to look at how they ask for money.

He who dares , wins.

Beasty

spyderski & ted1 - can we leave this particular head to head there

Any questions, please PM me - do not respond to this warning in-thread

Thanks

spyderski

ted1 wrote: »

It's wholly irrelevant as the option wasn't to give to A or B.
Did the autism group apply for a grant? The money was from lottery funds, maybe the autism group don't meet the criteria. Maybe the management there need to look at how they ask for money.

He who dares , wins.

They did apply. And got it. The Minister decided they deserved the same as the cycling club.

Weepsie

You can still get the PDF.
http://health.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2016-Department-of-Health-Lottery-Grants.pdf

Anyway going back to 2009, there have only been about a dozen Sports groups/clubs which have seemingly had a grant from this Fund. Most of these were small 1500-4000. Though there was one of 15000 to one club. However, most of these also have a broader scope than being a sports club, and provide outreach facilities for people with physical and mental disabilities and illnesses.

20 K from a health fund, should not be going to a cycling club anywhere in the country, unless maybe it has a significant involvement in charitable work / outreach such as other sports clubs, or provides access to wheelchair cyclists etc. That it has gone to a club in Enda's and Michael Ring's back garden deserves some attention. Maybe they applied for the wrong one, maybe it's an oversight. Maybe they have some altruistic goals for it, but on the face of it seems unlikely.

How much of that 20k is going to go to Ray Moylette? (former European Boxing Champ and son of club president and clubhouse owner) who runs the spinning classes. Maybe he does them for free. Something does not add up with the smallest bit of digging.

Had it come from another fund, there'd be few if any questions.

spyderski

Thanks Weepsie, a succinct overview of this situation, and exactly why it is wrong in the extreme.

mugsymugsy

Do they have to provide receipts / show what the funding was spent on? Under FOI do they have to show how the 20k was spent? Be interesting to see the breakdown of it.

ted1

mugsymugsy wrote: »

Do they have to provide receipts / show what the funding was spent on? Under FOI do they have to show how the 20k was spent? Be interesting to see the breakdown of it.

I would persume that they need to keep them. They would not fall under FOI. Spending money on something other than submitted in the grant would be fraud.

spyderski

I suppose it depends how specific they were in the application. If they said "fitness classes" there is nothing to stop them paying whatever instructor they want, or buying the equipment necessary for those classes. We really need to see the application to see the intention.

As far as I know, there are random audits carried out to check the funds are being spent correctly.

I have no interest in falling out with people over this, I have a genuine concern regarding the funding, and am making it my business to investigate further. Hopefully my suspicions will be unfounded, and there is a perfectly legitimate explanation why they got funding so obviously earmarked for specific groups.

smacl

Bit more in the IT today here and a bit more here, which links an interesting study 'Spokes or strokes? Clientelism and cycling funding in Ireland'. Unfortunately, I've only access to the abstract, but looks like it could be a good read.

spyderski

The report seems to relate more to the provision of cycle-commuting infrastructure than leisure cycling, but interesting to see there are more sceptical people out there....

Weepsie

smacl wrote: »

Bit more in the IT today here and a bit more here, which links an interesting study 'Spokes or strokes? Clientelism and cycling funding in Ireland'. Unfortunately, I've only access to the abstract, but looks like it could be a good read.

I'm pretty sure I posted a link to that article or mentioned it on another thread a while ago. I completely forgot about it. I have access to it however and I'm fairly sure there's a preprint with full access knocking about somewhere.

Its mostly to with infrastructure, and lobbying and how politicians will give go ahead sometimes and other times not. I linked to it in the thread about cycling infrastructure fund

Yup, PDF available on academia.edu if you have a google+ account

http://www.academia.edu/16564033/Spokes_or_Strokes_Clientelism_and_Cycling_Funding_in_Ireland

Same author has other research:

https://aran.library.nuigalway.ie/handle/10379/5779

Jawgap

mugsymugsy wrote: »

Do they have to provide receipts / show what the funding was spent on? Under FOI do they have to show how the 20k was spent? Be interesting to see the breakdown of it.

ted1 wrote: »

I would persume that they need to keep them. They would not fall under FOI. Spending money on something other than submitted in the grant would be fraud.

Actually, they wouldn't have to provide receipts but they would have to keep them (for 5 years iirc) in case of audit.

They will, if not selected for audit in the next 12 months, have to submit a cert signed by their auditors that the money was spent on what it was supposed to spent on - easy do that when they get the club accounts done in the run up to their AGM.

Anything submitted to the Dept would be amenable to FOI.

Lusk_Doyle

Enda, Islandeady CC and Spyderski - A true underdog story. Coming to big screens near you soon.

Lusk_Doyle

I got another one:

Islandeady Obsession. The new fragrance by Spyderski!

Beasty

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Enda, Islandeady CC and Spyderski - A true underdog story. Coming to big screens near you soon.

Enda had better watch out if he does have something to own up to

If we can bring down Pat....

You don't mess with 410!

:pac:

Jawgap

......no Leinster clubs need apply

......at least not until Leo is Taoiseach.........

......of course if Coveney gets the gig a lot of clubs in Dublin are going to have to wait to establish their Turbo Outreach Programmes to improve inclusiveness of the disadvantaged*




*triathletes and MTB'ers

smacl

Weepsie wrote: »

Yup, PDF available on academia.edu if you have a google+ account

Thanks for that, signed up and got the PDF, some other interesting stuff on there too.

spyderski

Kenny twice rode to rescue of local bike club

Enda Kenny, the taoiseach, made two representations to Simon Harris, the health minister, on behalf of a cycling club in the Mayo village where he grew up that was seeking lottery funding from the Department of Health last year. Islandeady cycling club was subsequently awarded €20,000 in funding, despite the department’s lottery fund being ring-fenced for the “provision of health-related services”.

Pádraic Horkan, the club’s public relations officer, has previously said the taoiseach had “no hand, act or part” in the funding application and had not been consulted about it. This weekend Ger Deere, the taoiseach’s assistant and a member of the club, said he had brought the application to Kenny’s attention.

The club, which has more than 100 members, sought funding for 30 indoor…

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/kenny-twice-rode-to-rescue-of-local-bike-club-58c9c62pp

Weepsie

That's behind a paywall, or you can join to read 2 articles. Here are the 2 damning parts however.

"Correspondence released under the Freedom of Information Act (FoI) shows Kenny wrote to Harris on behalf of Islandeady cycling club, of which he is an honorary member, on May 19 enclosing the club's application for lottery funding and asking to be kept appraised of its application. "I would appreciate if you may evaluate the contents and advise me on the matter," he wrote. Harris responded saying the club's funding application was "receiving attention".

On July 5, Kenny wrote again to Harris on behalf of the club "seeking an update on their application". On July 8, an official in the department assessed the cycling club's application for funding and advised that it met the criteria laid down by the department for lottery funding. "The application is for capital funding and aims to increase physical activity across the wider community," she noted."

At the end : The department defended its grant to Islandeady, saying "being physically active is one of the most significant improvements people and communities can make to improve physical and mental health


How about we all rock up and ask to use their turbo trainers. This is cute hoorism of the highest order. The grant should be pulled.

spyderski

Jawgap wrote: »

From my own experience you can guarantee there is no 'smoking gun' - the Minister's Office calls, it never emails

This is what I thought too at the time. Seems the arrogance is such that these guys don't even bother hiding the trail anymore...

Weepsie

They charge €30 for 6 spin classes over 6 weeks, or €60 for 12. Again this seemingly goes to the President's son Ray Moylette.

If they use these turbos for what I consider a commercial enterprise, then again the grant should be pulled

ednwireland

Our club rents a room and puts on a turbo class. Free to club members bring your own turbo and bike. Several spare turbos knocking about as well (needs prearrangement). No way is it worth a 20k grant.

spyderski

This is getting worse. Absolutely outrageous - any ideas on how to take this further. has been reported to the C&AG already. Is that the only route to take?

Weepsie

Harris going would be a good start. Though it would take a colonoscopy to find him in the first place, and irrigation to remove him from Enda's backside.

terrydel

spyderski wrote: »

Kenny twice rode to rescue of local bike club

Enda Kenny, the taoiseach, made two representations to Simon Harris, the health minister, on behalf of a cycling club in the Mayo village where he grew up that was seeking lottery funding from the Department of Health last year. Islandeady cycling club was subsequently awarded €20,000 in funding, despite the department’s lottery fund being ring-fenced for the “provision of health-related services”.

Pádraic Horkan, the club’s public relations officer, has previously said the taoiseach had “no hand, act or part” in the funding application and had not been consulted about it. This weekend Ger Deere, the taoiseach’s assistant and a member of the club, said he had brought the application to Kenny’s attention.

The club, which has more than 100 members, sought funding for 30 indoor…

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/kenny-twice-rode-to-rescue-of-local-bike-club-58c9c62pp

Ah,so amazingly all the cynics have been proven correct. Wow, Im stunned, truly stunned.

terrydel

spyderski wrote: »

This is what I thought too at the time. Seems the arrogance is such that these guys don't even bother hiding the trail anymore...

Your work on this puts you ahead of 99% of 'journalists' in this country in terms of investigation, on any subject.

Junior

Full text of that article is now on Broadsheet.ie

http://www.broadsheet.ie/2017/01/03/the-cycle-of-irish-life/

Doc07

ednwireland wrote: »

Our club rents a room and puts on a turbo class. Free to club members bring your own turbo and bike. Several spare turbos knocking about as well (needs prearrangement). No way is it worth a 20k grant.

I'm not disputing that this grant stinks of the usual Irish corruption. However is the high cost due to purchase of high end spin/watt bikes rather than turbo trainers. Not that it makes it right but just to explain how you could actually spend the 20k eg 15-20 spin bikes