Vol. 563 No. 5
128 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the initiatives he has introduced to promote traditional cultures, including the strengthening of the Irish language in the Gaeltacht; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8333/03]
My Department's overall goal with regard to rural, Gaeltacht and islands development is to promote and maintain living and working populations in rural and Gael tacht areas and on the islands by helping to foster sustainable and culturally vibrant communities in those areas. Among the key strategies underpinning this overall goal are those aimed at promoting traditional cultures, including the strengthening of the Irish language in the Gaeltacht.
The key outputs that my Department will be pursuing in this context will be the funding of cultural projects supported by the new Leader programme, which I launched in November 2001 while Minister for State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, and which now falls within the remit of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs; and to continue to fund various projects aimed at supporting and strengthening the Irish language in the Gaeltacht, both through schemes administered by my Department and by Údarás na Gaeltachta.
The Leader programme includes specific measures that focus on culture and provide funding aimed at promoting traditional cultural activities. In relation to the introduction of initiatives aimed at strengthening the Irish language in the Gaeltacht, the Deputy will be aware that I have established an advisory committee in order to advise me on the measures necessary to implement, where appropriate, recommendations in the report of Coimisiún na Gaeltachta. The advisory committee's recommendations will form the basis of action plans which will have deliverable targets and are aimed at strengthening the language in Gaeltacht communities.
It is my intention, in so far as is possible and in the context of available resources, to implement these action plans as the work of the committee progresses. I have also decided to commission a comprehensive linguistic study of Irish usage in the Gaeltacht areas as a basis for the linguistic development of the Gaeltacht as an Irish-speaking area and for a review of Gaeltacht boundaries. The Deputy will also be aware that the Official Languages (Equality) Bill 2002 will be of particular relevance in terms of providing a statutory framework for the improved provision to the people of the Gaeltacht of public services through Irish by Departments and other public bodies.
