Vol. 575 No. 5
56 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress which has been made with regard to the examination by his Department of the report of the working group on the creation of employment in the Gaeltacht; if the Government is committed to implementing the recommendations made by the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28562/03]
As outlined in my response to Question No. 135 on 21 October 2003, my Department, in partnership with Údarás na Gaeltachta, is continuing to actively examine the recommendations of the working group on the creation of employment in the Gaeltacht. The aim is to determine how they can be most effectively implemented. Arising from the report, Údarás na Gaeltachta has formulated an action plan to tackle the significant unemployment problem in the north west Donegal Gaeltacht. A key objective of the plan is to approve 200 jobs per annum for the Gaoth Dobhair area with the aim of achieving peak employment in five years. I am pleased to be able to inform the Deputy that, according to Údarás na Gaeltachta, the objective of 200 job approvals has been already realised for 2003.
Extra staff resources in Údarás have been assigned to the Donegal Gaeltacht and a committee under the chairmanship of Mr. Peter Quinn has been formed to assist in the implementation of the action plan. The initiatives being pursued by Údarás na Gaeltachta include targeting new sectors of the economy, upgrading building and telecommunications infrastructure and the placing of greater emphasis on high skills and the resources of the Gaeltacht including the Irish language. In this regard I mention Údarás na Gaeltachta's new scheme, Fiontraíocht Ghaeilge sa Ghaeltacht, which was launched this year to support the recommendations of the working group. A number of third level educational courses through the medium of Irish are being provided by the National University of Ireland, Galway, in Gaoth Dobhair with the support of Údarás na Gaeltachta. This very positive development is in line with the recommendations of the working group.
