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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 26 Apr 2005

Vol. 601 No. 2

Home Care Grants.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this very important matter of the shortfall in funding to meet the demand of the Cúram home care grant in County Kerry and the associated waiting list created as a result of the funding deficit.

The home care grant, or Cúram grant, was introduced last October on a pilot basis in the HSE, southern area, to help older people and their families or carers meet the cost of care for their relatives in the home. It is available to people on low income who are struggling to pay to provide care for a sick or disabled person at home. However, the funding allocated is completely insufficient to meet demand. Some 67 people in County Kerry have been awarded the home care grant this year but only 23 received payment. The remaining 44 people who have been awarded the home care grant are not being paid because the HSE, southern area, does not have the money to pay them.

What would be required to pay the grant to the 44 people on the waiting list is the tiny sum of €6,664 per week. That is a small sum of money, which if paid to the qualifying applicants, would have enormous benefits. Many of the Government's spin-doctors and managers probably earn €6,664 just to get out of bed in the morning. The Taoiseach probably spends that much every day on his make-up. However, the Department of Health and Children is denying 44 people in County Kerry in need of additional care in the home the tiny sum of money to meet the cost.

What is more reprehensible is that people are getting a letter from the HSE, southern area, telling them that they have been approved for the grant and how much they have been awarded. However, in the next paragraph, they are told the HSE cannot afford to pay the grant. It is a terrible insult to people to tell them they qualify for the grant and to how much they are entitled but in the next breath tell them they cannot be paid.

One of these letters from my constituents reads as follows:

Re: Application for Cúram Home Care Grant

Dear Mr.

I refer to an application for Cúram Home Care Grant which you submitted to this office. You have been assessed as Maximum Dependency and have been approved for a grant of [so many euro per week]

I wish to inform you that the allocated funding for this scheme is now fully committed and no additional payments can be made at this time. Accordingly you have now been placed on a Waiting List for consideration for the payment of this grant on a future date. You will be informed in writing when this Section is in a position to offer payment . . .

The individual who got this letter is over 75 years of age and looks after his wife who is bedridden following a stroke. They cannot wait.

Why was this grant introduced on a pilot basis? If a Department, county council or other body does not have money, it writes to the applicant to say that due to funding constraints, it cannot process the application. However, the HSE, southern area, is writing to people telling them they are "maximum dependency" and are entitled to something but that they cannot get it. The individual about whom I spoke cannot wait. He is over 75 years of age, his wife is confined to bed, an invalid, and he is the only one who can look after her. There are 44 people like him on the waiting list in my county alone. I know the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Power, is a decent individual. Is there any possibility he could provide the funding so that this man is not forced to put his wife into care, which he does not want to do?

I thank Deputy Moynihan-Cronin for raising this matter and I am happy to reply. The Health Service Executive has piloted home care grant schemes in several areas. The purpose of these schemes is to support older people at home in the community as an alternative to long-term residential care. Older people who are being discharged from the acute hospital system and those living in the community have been targeted under these schemes.

Following discussions with my Department, the HSE, southern area, introduced with effect from October 2004 a pilot home care grant scheme through a system of direct payments to older people, their families and carers which allows them to purchase additional home care.

With these home care packages, the HSE, southern area, is supporting the expressed wish of older people to remain at home as long as possible as prioritised in the area's "Ageing with Confidence" strategy. This home care grant is called cúram in the HSE, southern area. This new service is for those aged 65 years and over and is designed to supplement the community services already in place for these persons.

The former Southern Health Board's letter of determination for 2004 provided funding of €125,000 to commence the development of home care packages. The 2005 letter of determination provided further funding of €320,000 bringing to €445,000 the funding for the scheme that my Department made available to the HSE, southern area. The HSE, southern area, has supplemented this sum by €65,000 bringing to €0.5 million the funding available for this scheme in 2005.

Currently, 64 people are in payment of average weekly payments of €151 under this scheme which commenced in October 2004 as a pilot project in Cork and Kerry. Some 36% of those currently in receipt of payment reside in County Kerry. The level of home care grant that can be funded from the existing allocation of €0.5 million for 2005 is limited to approximately 65 recipients at any one time. Accordingly, there is a waiting list for this service which stands at 87 approved clients, including 44 from County Kerry.

The home care grant is but one of a number of services available in the HSE, southern area, to support older people at home. These support services include general practitioner services, public health nursing, home helps and access to respite services.

My Department has been working with the representatives of the HSE areas, including the southern area, to develop a national home care grant scheme. A draft of the scheme is currently being finalised. Funding of €2 million has been allocated to the HSE in 2005 to introduce the scheme. In addition, funding of €113.75 million was allocated in 2004 to the home help service to support older people living in the community with this funding being increased to €118.75 million in 2005.

I will take on board what Deputy Moynihan-Cronin said, particularly the wording of the letter and the expectation one would have on reading it. When writing to people, it is important we are sensitive. This is a sensitive subject for the people with whom we are dealing. On the basis of what the Deputy said, I will make further inquiries and revert to her on the matter.

Cancer Screening Programme.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me this opportunity to ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children to immediately place advertisements in the EU Journal for tenders for the static units required for the national roll-out of the BreastCheck programme to the south and west. The executive of the BreastCheck programme has stated this is necessary to ensure the 2007 deadline is not missed.

I have been pushing for the extension of the BreastCheck programme nationally for some time. I started the campaign for its extension. I pointed out that there was cancer care apartheid in Ireland which was unacceptable. In early 2003 I caused the board and executive of the BreastCheck programme to be brought before the Joint Committee on Health and Children to explain why the programme had not been extended. In March 2003 I co-organised a march on Leinster House to force the extension of the programme nationally. Its extension was announced within 48 hours of the march but it was only when the then Minister, Deputy Martin, was leaving the health Ministry in September 2004 that he sanctioned funding for the programme.

I introduced a Private Members' motion in the Dáil on 15 April 2003 on the BreastCheck programme and cancer services. I am glad the Labour Party has come on board in calling for the extension of the programme and that Fine Gael has also done so, having introduced a Private Members' motion on the matter the week before last in the Dáil.

It was the wrong decision not to extend the BreastCheck programme nationally ab initio. Some 65 women have died every year in the south and west since the programme was introduced initially and 65 more will die there every year until it is extended nationwide. It is predicted it will be 2007 before that comes to pass. I am convinced the decision was based on financial considerations. Justifying the failure to extend the programme nationally, the Department stated, “It was better to get the roll-out right than to get it done quickly”. The Minister should try telling that to the families of the 300 women who have died from breast cancer who should not have died.

The good effect of breast screening programmes has been known internationally for at least 20 years. The death rate in Scotland was cut by 30% in only five years. There has been a screening service in place in Northern Ireland since 1993 and, as we know from a cancer report, the death rate has been cut by 20%. I calculate that over 300 women have died in the south and west needlessly since 2000 due to the decision to provide the BreastCheck programme in three health board areas in the eastern part of the country serving half the population.

On 11 February 2003 the Galway clinic offered a BreastCheck service to the Government. This offer could still be taken up. I asked the Minister if she would do this under the national treatment purchase fund but that request was refused. The women who are dying are mothers, sisters and nieces — all important members of families. That is not acceptable. I could name people who have died. I knew them and know their families who have to struggle without a mother or sister. Cancer could be detected 18 months before a lump is detected. It is amazing that half the population are on their second round of screening while the other half have still not received a service. The BreastCheck programme has picked up hundreds of cases of cancer but this is cold comfort to the families who are now without their loved ones. The women of the south and west deserve better.

Today's edition of the Irish Examiner carried the headline, “Breast cancer deaths rise in Cork”. The pattern is the same in the west. The BreastCheck programme needs to be extended nationally, not just to women up to the age of 64 years but to women up to the age of 69. This is a proven treatment which would cut the death rate by 20% to 30%. If there was a drug that could do this, people would regard it as a wonder drug. This is all about money but there was no delay in providing €300 million for the racehorse industry when funding was needed.

The then Minister, Deputy Martin, announced the extension of the BreastCheck programme within 48 hours of the march in March 2003 but only sanctioned funding before he left office in September 2004. The excuse for proceeding on a phased basis was, in the words of the then Minister, "a reflection of the complexities involved in the screening process rather than the cost involved". That is balderdash. There was no complexity in providing the service for half the female population, the only complexity is in trying to understand why the Government could deny the other half of the female population an essential service such as BreastCheck which is supposed to be a national programme but is not.

I hope the Minister of State will tell me that the design has been completed and that an advertisement will be placed in the EU Journal to enable construction to start on the static units necessary in the west and south to ensure the extension of the BreastCheck programme nationally. I hope he has news for me.

On behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister and Health and Children, I am replying to the matter raised by the Deputy. I welcome this opportunity to set out the current position on the BreastCheck programme and, in particular, its extension to remaining counties.

The national breast screening programme commenced in the eastern and midland regions in February 2000. Screening is offered free of charge to women in the 50 to 64 year age group. The extension of the programme to the south east commenced last year with a mobile unit providing screening for women in County Wexford. Screening commenced in County Carlow recently and will be extended to County Kilkenny early next year. The expansion to the south-eastern counties will result in an additional 18,000 women being invited for screening.

Since 1998 cumulative revenue funding of approximately €60 million and €12 million capital funding has been allocated to support the programme. Up to the end of October last year the number of women screened by BreastCheck was in the region of 179,000. It is estimated that the cancer detection rate is approximately 7.4 per 1,000 screened. To date over 1,300 cancers have been detected.

The national roll-out of the BreastCheck programme to remaining counties is a major priority in the development of cancer services. The expansion of the service will ensure all women in the relevant age group will have access to breast screening and follow up treatment where required. A capital investment of €21 million has been earmarked for the construction and equipping of two static clinical units, one at South Infirmary-Victoria Hospital, Cork, and the other at University College Hospital, Galway. This investment will also ensure mobile units will be available to screen all women in the relevant age group.

Detailed planning for the static units is progressing as a matter of priority. A project team was established to develop briefs for the capital infrastructure required for the two new units. The design briefs for both sites were completed in January this year. The next stage is to appoint a design team to complete the detailed design of the two units. The advertisement for the appointment of the design team will be placed in the EU Journal shortly.

Capital funding for the facilities at Cork and Galway has been identified under the capital investment framework 2005-09 and both developments will be progressed simultaneously. Funding in the region of €3 million has also been earmarked for the relocation and development of the symptomatic breast disease unit at University College Hospital, Galway. This unit will be developed in tandem with the BreastCheck development. The Health Service Executive, in conjunction with the Department, is examining the health capital investment framework with a view to initiating as quickly as possible new capital commitments, both for this and subsequent years.

The Tánaiste is committed to the national expansion of BreastCheck, the national breast screening programme, and is confident that the target date of 2007 for its expansion nationally will be met.

We live in hope.

Legal Aid Service.

The mission statement of the Northside Community Law Centre is as follows:

The [Northside Community Law Centre] . . . is an independent community-based legal centre. [It works] . . . to protect and develop the legal, social and economic rights of individuals and groups.

The Centre provides free information and advice to individuals and groups in its community who otherwise would not be able to access legal services and works to give power to the community through education, research and campaigns.

[The Northside Community Law Centre] . . . believes in the dignity of each individual. [It is] . . . committed to working with the community for the creation of a just and tolerant society.

On 23 February this year President MaryMcAleese formally opened the new offices of the Northside Community Law Centre in the new Northside Civic Centre in Coolock, Dublin. Two months later this important community facility is about to close its doors because of a lack of funding. The centre has been in existence for 30 years during which period it has played a central role in the civic life of the community and surrounding areas. It has campaigned forcefully on behalf of disadvantaged communities in regard to family law, social welfare law, consumer credit and debt and on poverty in general. In addition, it has provided free legal advice to many people and, in particular, to people experiencing difficult personal and distressing circumstances.

As a public representative for the Coolock area, I know that the closure of this centre will cause real hardship for many people. I am not in a position to give professional legal advice to my constituents but I regularly refer people to the free legal advice clinic organised by the Northside Community Law Centre every Thursday evening. There clients can get advice on marriage, separation, divorce, barring orders and many other issues. No one else in the area provides this service. Very often clients are in a very distressed state, perhaps because of violence in the home or whatever, and they need immediate legal assistance as to what they can do, particularly in emergency situations.

Bureaucratic wrangling between the Department of Social and Family Affairs and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform must not be allowed to cause the closure of this invaluable community service. It is unacceptable that the Department of Social and Family Affairs would allow the closure of the Northside Community Law Centre by ceasing funding without putting alternative financial arrangements in place. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has been asked to examine the issue as a matter of urgency. Ministerial heads must be knocked together immediately to sort this administrative failure. The Department of Social and Family Affairs should continue to fund the centre out of its information budget, given that the centre's activities are well within the scope of the Department's goals.

The Northside Community Law Centre is modelled on the US law centres, which were set up as part of President Johnson's War on Poverty. According to the Northside Community Law Centre, the idea was that law centres would assist marginalised communities in tackling structural causes of poverty and exclusion, thereby empowering those who had been disempowered. The centre is seen as one of the great success stories of the Department of Social and Family Affairs, as a thoughtful and innovative approach to the problem of poverty and as something which is entirely appropriate to that Department.

Some 30 years ago, community volunteers in a disadvantaged area of the city had a vision. A law centre was established to meet real and practical needs being experienced by ordinary people in their daily lives. A little bit of imagination at this time is needed to ensure this dream is fulfilled. A public meeting is being held on Friday. Many representatives of local organisations and individuals have indicated that they will attend the meeting. Therefore, I ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs to meet with the board of directors of the Northside Community Law Centre to sort out this administrative problem.

I thank Deputy Haughey for raising this important issue. I am replying on behalf of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs.

The Northside Community Law Centre is one of a number of organisations funded under the Department of Social and Family Affairs' scheme of grants for the development and promotion of information and welfare rights. Since its establishment in 1975, the centre has been funded exclusively by State agencies, including the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the former Eastern Health Board, with the Department of Social and Family Affairs taking over direct funding in 1995. The Department provided €215,000 to the centre last year.

The necessity for the centre to source additional funding over and above what the Department can provide has been explained to the board of the centre for a number of years. This is in line with the situation of all other voluntary organisations funded through the Department's information grants scheme. The Minister is fully cognisant of the valuable role which a community-based legal advice service such as the Northside Community Law Centre can play in the delivery of a comprehensive and cost-effective legal advice service for citizens. However, he is satisfied that his Department is not in the long term the most appropriate source of funding for this service having regard to the fact that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has primary responsibility for funding legal aid services.

It is worth pointing out that in 2004 queries on social welfare represented less than 5% of the law centre's annual business. Also, the Northside Civic Centre in Coolock, where the community law centre is located, has a local social welfare office with a full-time information officer, a citizen's information centre and a money and advice budgeting service office that are all directly or indirectly funded by his Department. The Minister has, therefore, written to his colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, regarding future funding for the centre as an integral part of its legal aid services. He will follow this up with him as a matter of urgency.

Payments totalling €140,000 have already been made to the centre this year to ensure continuity of service, including payment of salaries. Departmental officials have been in discussion with the centre's management on the financial issues involved. The Minister is examining the options for assisting the centre until the issue of future funding for the centre has been resolved. He has decided to invite a delegation from the centre, together with Oireachtas representatives from the area, to meet with him in the coming days to discuss how best to ensure the future of the centre.

Job Losses.

Gabhaim buíochas don Leas-Cheann Comhairle as deis a thabhairt dom ant-ábhar seo a thógáil sa Dáil arís. Ní seo an chéad nó an dara huair le roinnt míosa anuas a phlé muid an t-ábhar seo.

Le hocht mí anois tá ceisteanna fá cad é a bhí i ndán don mhonarcha seo i gCroichshlí. Is dócha go bhfuair muid an freagra inné nuair a d'fhógair an bainisteoir go bhfuil an mhonarcha le dúnadh. Na hoibrithe atá as obair nó ar fhionraí le hocht mí, ní bheidh fostaíochta ar bith dóibh, ní bheidh siad ag dul ar ais. Tá an bainistíocht ag cur deiridh go cinnte le táirgeadh sa mhonarcha seo.

Deireadh réé deireadh le fostaíocht sa mhonarcha seo. Tógadh an mhonarcha breis agus 100 bliain ó shin. Bord na gCeantar Cúng a thóg í, monarcha bhreá déanta de chloch gearrtha agus atá mar mharc ansin do dhuine ar bith a thugann cuairt ar an pháirt sin de Ghaeltacht Dhún na nGall. Is fíor a rá go bhfuil bunadh na háite, fir agus mná, ag obair ansin i dtionscal amháin nó i dtionscal eile i rith an ama sin. Thosaigh siad ar dtús ag deireadh na 19ú haoise ag déanamh earraí agus éadaigh. Ina dhiaidh sin bhain siad clú agus cáil le bábógaí Chroichshlí a raibh iomrá orthu ar fud an domhain agus gur mhaith le gach cailín a fháil mar bhronntanas. Girseach ar bith nach bhfuair, bhraith sí go raibh sí easnamhach.

Tháinig Novotem isteach 25 bliain ó shin le tionscal nua-aimseartha, trasfhoirmitheoirí, Bhí fir agus mná ag obair ansin, breis agus 100 duine. Tháinig sin anuas go dtí 43 agus leis an fhógra a rinneadh inné, ní bheidh éinne ansin ón mhí seo chugainn amach. Buille sin don cheantar, buille mór do na daoine nach mbeidh ag dul ar ais ag obair.

Níor chuir mise riamh fáilte roimh ráiteas nach mbeidh daoine ag dul ar ais ag obair ach sa chás seo bhí siad i bpurgadóir go dtí seo, na daoine nach raibh ag obair agus nach raibh a fhios acu cad é bhí ag dul a tharlú nó an raibh an tionscal ag teacht ar ais. Dúirt an tAire sa Dáil liom go mb'fhéidir go dtarlódh rud éigin san earrach ach tharla go bhfuil an mhonarcha ag druidim. Ar a laghad, tá a fhios ag na hoibrithe anois nach mbeidh fostaíocht ansin dóibh agus go gcaithfidh siad pleananna eile a dhéanamh le malairt fostaíochta a fháil. Tá bord úr ceaptha d'Údarás na Gaeltachta anois, agus tá na baill ag teacht le chéile ag deireadh na seachtaine seo den chéad uair. Tá ceathrar as ár gcontae féin ar an bhord sin agus cathaoirleach. Ba mhaith liom comghairdeas a dhéanamh leis an chathaoirleach, atá tofa agus a rinne jab breá chomh fada agus a bhí sé ansin. Tá lúcháir orm go bhfuil an tAire ag tabhairt tréimhse eile dó. Beidh mé ag súil go dtiocfaidh siad uilig le chéile, chomh maith le comhaltaí an bhoird as ceantair eile agus go ndíreoidh siad isteach ar fhostaíocht agus obair de chineál éigin a chur ar fáil do na daoine seo atá as obair anois, ar máithreacha agus aithreacha iad. Níl aon teacht isteach acu ach liúntais fhostaíochta. Tá a gcuid teaghlach ar shiúl ar choláistí agus institiúidí tríú leibhéil, agus tá costais mhorgáiste agus mar sin orthu. Caithfidh muid tús áite a thabhairt do thionscal éigin a mhealladh isteach chun obair agus fostaíocht a chur ar fáil dóibh sin.

Chomh maith leis sin, tá na daoine seo atá fágtha le hocht nó naoi mí— trí ráithe ar an laghad — nuair a bheas na téarmaí iomarcaíochta á bplé. Tá a fhios againn uilig go bhfuair siad an méid atá dlite dóibh ó thaobh na reachtaíochta de, ach tá súil agam go mbeidh an tionscal agus an bhainistíocht fial, fiúntach agus flaithiúil do na daoine sin, a thug seirbhís chomh fada sin sa mhonarcha agus go mbeidh siad ábalta bonus a thabhairt dóibh le cois an mhéid atá dlite dóibh go reachtúil. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil a fhios ag an Aire faoin mhonarchan seo mar gur phléigh muid chomh minic sin sa Dáil í, agus ba cheart dóúsáid a bhaint as gach deis atá aige chun cur ina luí orthu bheith fial, fairsing, flaithiúil agus fiúntach leis na daoine seo. Bhí mé ag éisteacht leo ar an raidió inné. B'fhéidir go raibh an tAire féin ag éisteacht leo; is cinnte go mbainfeadh sé deoir as cloch bheith ag éisteacht leis na daoine sin ag caint. Caithfear infheistíocht a chur ar fáil leis an fhoirgneamh breá seo a chur in oiriúint do thionscal nua-aimseartha le go mbeidh dream eile istigh ag obair ansin roimh dheireadh na bliana seo. Máéiríonn leis an Aire agus an leis an Údarás é sin a dhéanamh, beimid uilig thar a bheith sásta.

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Teachta as ucht na ceiste seo a ardú anocht. Mar a dúirt sé féin, ar bhealach amháin, is scéal thar a bheith brónach é seo, agus tá trua agam do na hoibrithe atá tar éis a gcuid post a chailliúint. Nuair a bhí mé i dTír Chonaill in earrach na bliana seo, chas toscaireacht ón mhonarcha liom. D'iarr siad orm cinntiú go gcuirfí deireadh leis an scéal seo ar bhealach amháin nó bealach eile, mar bhíodar gan obair le tamall fada. Ag an am céanna, ní raibh siad in ann dul ar aghaidh leis an gcuid eile dá saol, mar ní raibh a fhios acu an rabhadar ag dul a theacht ar ais nó an rabhadar ag imeacht. Sa mhéid sin, sílim féin ar a laghad go bhfuil scéal soiléir ann anois. Níor chuir mé ariamh fáilte roimh dhúnadh monarchan ar bith, ach is fearr go bhfuil a fhios againne anois nach bhfuil sí ag dul a oscailt. Níor mhaith leis na hoibritheoirí fanacht ní b'fhaide leis an scéal seo. Sin an rud a d'iarr siad orm ag an am. Mhínigh mé dóibh gur bheag an méid a d'fhéadfaidís a dhéanamh faoi sin. Má bhí dóchas acu sa mhonarcha go bhfaighidís poist eile, chaithfí an deis sin a thabhairt dóibh.

D'fhógair Nuvotem Teoranta ar an Aoine seo caite, 22 Aibreán 2005, go bhfuil an comhlacht chun deireadh a chur go hoifigiúil leis an ngné táirgthe dá ghníomhaíochtaí i gCroichshlí, Contae Dhún na nGall. Mar a dúirt an Teachta, is foirgneamh an-álainn é. Ciallaíonn sé seo go mbeidh na hoibrithe táirgthe, a leagadh as a gcuid oibre ar bhonn sealadach san Fhómhar seo caite, á scaoileadh in iomlán ón gcomhlacht le héifeacht ó 23 Bealtaine 2005.

De réir ráitis a d'eisigh an comhlacht, theip ar Nuvotem an gnó nua a bhí ag teastáil a ghineadh. Beidh roinnt gníomhaíochtaí díolacháin, innealtóireachta agus riaracháin an chomhlachta ag leanúint ar aghaidh i gCroichshlí agus an chuid sin den fhoireann á gcoinneáil ina bpoist — tuigtear dom gur idir 12 agus 15 post atá i gceist anseo.

Tá Nuvotem Teoranta i mbun déantúsaíochta i gCroichshlí 1979 agus é ag táirgeadh transfhoirmitheoirí don earnáil teileachumarsáide agus leictreonaice.

Tá Nuvotem, maraon le dhá chomhlacht eile — ceann i bPoblacht na Seice agus ceann eile san Ind — agus oifig dhíolacháin sa Ghearmáin, mar chuid den ghrúpa idirnáisiúnta Talema. Is fochuideachta 100% de chuid Nuvotem é an comhlacht i bPoblacht na Seice, agus tá mionscairshealbhaíocht, 1%, ag Nuvotem san Ind. Tá an gnó sa tSeic agus san Ind á bhainistiú ag Nuvotem agus, anois, tá gníomhaíochtaí táirgthe an chomhlachta á n-aistriú chuig na tíortha ísealchostais sin.

Caithfear a aithint gur chuir Nuvotem fostaíocht mhaith ar fáil i nGaeltacht Dhún na nGall, i gceantar Ghaoth Dobhair agus na Rosa, ó 1979 go dtí le gairid. Bhí leibhéal fostaíochta os cionn 70 i gceist ar feadh scór bliain agus buaicphointe 114 post i lár na 1990í.

D'íoc Údarás na Gaeltachta €1.531 milliún i ndeontais leis an gcuideachta thar an thréimhse 1979 go dtí 1995, agus níor íocadh aon deontas ó shin. Rinne an túdarás infheistíocht €780,889 i scaireanna tosaíochta sa chuideachta freisin. Caithfidh mé a threisiú gur scaireanna tosaíochta iad seo gan aon cheart vótála, rud a chiallaíonn nach bhfuil aon chearta ag an Údarás ó thaobh bhainistiú nó riaradh na cuideachta ó lá go lá. Is ag gnáthscairshealbhóirí na cuideachta amháin atá na cearta sin. Rinneadh an infheistíocht dheireanach i scaireanna tosaíochta sa chomhlacht i 1998. Ag breathnú ar an bhfostaíocht mhaith a cuireadh ar fáil thar na blianta, is léir go bhfuarthas luach maith ar infheistíocht an Stáit sa chomhlacht seo.

Tá coimhlint ghéar in earnáil na déantúsaíochta le roinnt blianta anuas, agus tá poist á gcailliúint ar fud na tíre seo dá réir, na ceantair Ghaeltachta san áireamh. Ní féidir a shéanadh go bhfuil an chuideachta ag feidhmiú in earnáil atá thar a bheith leochaileach sa tír seo i láthair na huaire mar gheall ar an gcoimhlint ghéar ó tháirgeoirí atá ag feidhmiú i dtíortha le costais táirgthe i bhfad níos ísle. Ní amháin go bhfuil an margadh dá tháirge ag laghdú le roinnt blianta anuas, ach, comhthreomhar leis sin, tá an brabús féin ag laghdú.

Ba mhaith liom bogadh ar aghaidh anois go dtí staid na fostaíochta sa cheantar i gcoitinne. Tá Croichshlí, an ceantar ina bhfuil Nuvotem lonnaithe, i gcomharsanacht Pháirc Ghnó Ghaoth Dobhair agus, mar is eol dúinn uile, fuair an ceantar sin buillí troma ó thaobh fostaíochta de le roinnt blianta anuas. Mar thoradh ar an drochstair seo, tá tréan-iarrachtaí ar siúl ag Údarás na Gaeltachta chun fostaíocht nua a chruthú sa cheantar sin agus chun dul i ngleic leis na riachtanais ó thaobh oiliúna, oideachais agus buneagar de a chabhróidh leis na spriocanna fostaíochta a bhaint amach.

Ag eascairt as obair an ghrúpa oibre ar chruthú fostaíochta sa Ghaeltacht sa bhliain 2002, sheol an túdarás plean gníomhaíochta le dul i ngleic leis an ngéarchéim fostaíochta i gceantar Ghaoth Dobhair. Mar thoradh ar an bplean seo, gineadh 439 post nua — 369 lán-aimseartha agus 70 páirt-aimseartha — ar Pháirc Ghnó Ghaoth Dobhair i meascán d'earnálacha idir sheirbhísí nua-aimseartha agus dhéantúsaíocht ghinearálta. D'éirigh leis an Údarás ceann de phríomhspriocanna an phlean gníomhaíochta a bhaint amach, sin é, 400 post nua a chruthú don chéad dá bhliain ar Pháirc Ghnó Ghaoth Dobhair. Tá breis agus 830 duine fostaithe ar Pháirc Ghnó Ghaoth Dobhair i láthair na huaire, agus caithfear a aithint gur athbheochan iontach é seo ar pháirc ghnó a bhí in ísle brí timpeall dhá bhliain ó shin.

Tá an túdarás ag leanúint ar aghaidh leis an dúshlán tuilleadh fostaíochta a chur ar bun. Ta comhlachtaí i nGaoth Dobhair ag earcú foirne san am i láthair, agus tá comhráití ar siúl ag an údarás le dhá chomhlacht ar leith eile a bhfuil suim acu lonnú i gceantar Ghaoth Dobhair. Táthar ag súil go dtabharfar na cainteanna seo chun críche gan mhoill agus go gcruthófar breis agus 60 post nua eile do cheantar Ghaoth Dobhair dá réir. Tá iarrachtaí eile i gcur chun cinn na fiontraíochta ar siúl ag an údarás freisin, mar shampla, tús a chur le togáil ionad nua fiontraíochta do cheantar Dhobhair atá i gcóngaracht dhá mhíle de Croichshlí. Comhthreomhar leis an ngá chun fostaíocht a chruthú, aithníonn an túdarás an gá le tacaíocht bhreise a chur ar fáil do phobal na háite chun scileanna nua a fhoghlaim. Dá réir sin, cuireann an túdarás, i gcuideachta leis na heagrais stáit, Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, FÁS, TG4 agus Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Leitir Ceanainn, agus comhlachtaí Gaeltachta mar Telegael agus Cúl an Tí, deiseanna oiliúna agus oideachais ar fáil i gcomharsanacht Ghaoth Dobhair. Sa tréimhse 2004-05, mar shampla, chláraigh 179 duine ar naoi gcúrsa atá ag plé le hábhair éagsúla cosúil le teilesheirbhísí, athscríbneoireacht, scriptscríbhneoireacht, léiriúcháin teilifíse, sealbhú teanga, cúram leanaí, teicneoireacht ríomhairí agus cúram aosaithe.

Tuigim go bhfuil dul chun cinn suntasach á dhéanamh ó thaobh buneagair sa cheantar chomh maith. Rinneadh tuilleadh forbartha agus feabhsúcháin i 2004 ar bhuneagar teileachumarsáide an pháirc ghnó nuair a cuireadh seirbhís leathanbhanda, i bhfoirm córais ADSL agus nód lP, ar fáil do chomhlachtaí ar Pháirc Ghnó Ghaoth Dobhair. Cheadaigh An Ciste Idirnáisiúnta d'Éirinn €354,000 d'ionad nuálaíochta ar an bpáirc ghnó agus cheadaigh clár INTERREG III, €270,00 do chlár aistrithe teicneolaíochta trasteorainn. Tá an mhórchuid d'iarmhonarcha SMTC athchóirithe agus tionóntaí mar Ollscoil na hÉireann Gaillimh agus Teagmháil Cheilteach Teo. lonnaithe ann agus tá an réamhobair tosaithe ar athchóiriú iarmhonarcha eile ar an bpáirc ghnó seo.

Mar achoimre, ag cur san áireamh na céimeanna uile seo; rath an phleana ghníomhaíochta, tograí fiontraíochta, cúrsaí oiliúna, deiseanna oideachais agus feabhsú buneagair, tá mise dóchasach go leanfar leis an mbeart fostaíocht fhiúntach ar ardchaighdeán a bhaint amach do cheantar Ghaoth Dobhair.

The Dáil adjourned at 9.15 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 27 April 2005.
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