The allocation under the heading Íocaíocht leis An Foras Teanga in my Department's Vote represents the annual grant paid to An Foras Teanga, which, as the Deputy is aware, is one of the cross-Border implementation bodies established under the British-Irish Agreement Act, 1999. The language body comprises two separate agencies, Foras na Gaeilge and the Boord o Ulstèr-Scotch, the Ulstèr-Scots Agency. Foras na Gaeilge is charged with increasing the use of Irish in everyday life throughout the island of Ireland. The Boord o Ulstèr-Scotch is responsible for the promotion of greater awareness and use of Ullans and of Ulstèr Scots cultural issues, both with Northern Ireland and throughout the island.
The annual allocation from my Department's Vote to An Foras Teanga in any year is delivered by way of periodic payments to the agencies, the amounts of which are agreed with the other sponsoring Department, the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland, which makes matching payments in accordance with agreed relativities. Decisions as to the ways in which the annual allocations are spent are a matter for the boards of the agencies, acting in accordance with their approved corporate and business plans.