Vol. 667 No. 3
76 Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will provide details of consultations with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform with regard to the development of treatment services for young offenders under the national drugs strategy; the position regarding those discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40977/08]
Responsibility for the development of treatment services for young offenders, where required, in and out of the prison setting, falls to the Irish Youth Justice and Probation Services. These services come under the remit of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, but overarching responsibility for the development of appropriate services will lie with the office of the Minister of State with responsibility for children and youth affairs as responsibility for youth affairs is being transferred to that office.
Action 19 of the national drugs strategy focuses on early intervention with youth where early use of alcohol or drugs comes to the attention of the Garda. Where this occurs, intervention by the community police and-or the health and social services to address the individual's needs is appropriate. This action has been progressed through the work of the national drugs strategy team and the drugs task forces at the more local level. I understand from the Garda that, although considerable informal links are in place involving the statutory and voluntary service providers, there is a need to establish more formal procedures in this regard. This issue is being followed up by the Health Service Executive in the context of the findings of a report on services for under-18s, produced by that body under action 49 of the national drugs strategy. This measure focuses on the development and implementation of guidelines for treatment for under-18s. Guidelines are now in place and progress on their implementation has been made in some areas, but I understand they have yet to be implemented nationwide.
Under the national youth justice strategy 2008-10, the office of the Minister of State with responsibility for children and youth affairs is seeking to develop a number of pilot projects aimed at early identification and greater targeting of young people at risk of offending. That office is focused on developing earlier-stage case management through appropriate conferencing, in partnership with the Irish Youth Justice Service, the HSE, the National Educational Welfare Board and An Garda Síochána. It is intended that appropriate treatment services will be made available in cases where substance misuse is a factor contributing to the problems involved.
Under the Children's Act 2001, the young person's probation section, a division of the probation service, works with under-18s who come before the courts. The Act recognises that there is no single way of successfully dealing with the problems associated with youth offending and sees detention as the least favoured option. Therefore, it has shifted the emphasis away from residential-custodial care to care in the community. Under the Act, the young person's probation section utilises a number of graduated approaches across family conferences, community-based sanctions, parental supervision orders, probation reports, deferment of detention, detention and supervision, supervision after detention and voluntary aftercare to deal with offenders. Where substance misuse is a factor, appropriate treatment is made available, up to and including residential rehabilitation.
In the prison context, the Irish Prison Service drugs policy and strategy, Keeping Drugs Out of Prisons, includes a commitment to provide drug treatment options for those who need them. Progress is being made towards fulfilling that commitment, including the contracting of Merchants Quay Ireland, a voluntary sector organisation, to provide counselling services.
As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is in the process of developing a new national drugs strategy for the period 2009-16. The new strategy will continue to include measures aimed at trying to prevent young people from becoming involved with drugs, as well as treatment measures aimed at helping those who do develop problems.
Harristown House, which cost €450,000 to run last year, treats up to 100 residents per annum and has a 65% success rate, in other words, two thirds of residents do not reoffend and stay sober. The facility has been operating for ten years and employs 20 staff. Did the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform contact the Minister of State, Deputy Curran, and, if so, did he explain the reason for the decision to close down this valuable facility?
As the Minister of State will be aware, according to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, it costs €100,000 per annum to keep a young offender in prison, whereas Harristown House operated at an overall cost of €450,000 per annum. A number of reports have been published on this issue, including one entitled, Treating Addiction, Tackling Crime, which provided an excellent evaluation of Harristown House. Given that all the stakeholders, including the probation and welfare service and Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, were satisfied with the facility, why was it necessary to close it down?
I appreciate that this is a matter of serious concern to Deputy Ring and the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Finneran, both of whom have raised it with me previously. To give the Deputy a straight answer, I was not aware in advance of the decision on Harristown House and, as I stated publicly, I was not contacted on the issue. While this concerned me somewhat, I do not want to rehearse a row other than to note that I have responsibility for the national drugs strategy on which the Government takes a partnership approach. As one of the key players, alongside the probation and welfare service and Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I was not informed in advance of the decision to close the facility.
However, having said that, the decision was taken following a review of adult probation residential facilities carried out in 2007. It was not a random decision but the outcome of a process. Following the review, a number of recommendations and options emerged. The board of management, at its meeting of 25 September, made a recommendation to proceed with what was specifically referred to as Option Two. This was as follows:
Close down the facility, take time to reflect on the learning and develop a vision and a plan for a new way forward for Harristown House. There are HR and financial implications in doing this. Developing a clear vision for the future will require a precise set of steps and processes with a view to re-opening a new facility under the management of a competent strategic partner that is client centred, evidence based, effectively and efficiently managed and value for money. The benefit of this option is that Harristown House would be retained as a facility and transformed through learning, reflection and strategic planning into a superior service with clear vision and focus.
The closure arose as a result of a review of adult probation residential facilities carried out in 2007. The board of management of Harristown House chose an option involving the closure of the facility. However, the second aspect of this course of action was to proceed with closure with a view to having a new facility at Harristown.
I and other Deputies from the west, including the Minister of State's party colleagues from County Roscommon and elsewhere, are concerned about the decision to close Harristown House. Of the 100 people treated in the facility last year, 65% did not reoffend. What will happen to the young people the centre treats? Will they become involved in crime or addicted to drugs again? How do the Minister of State and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform plan to deal with these people?
It is wrong to close down this facility without proper consideration. Irrespective of the decision of the board of management, the problems in the facility should have been resolved before the decision had to be made. Young people in the west will be back on the streets, taking drugs and reoffending. What will happen to their educational needs? Some of those treated in Harristown House could not read or write. What action will be taken to re-open the centre?
The time for the question has expired.
77 Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recent finding of the study undertaken on behalf of the National Advisory Committee on Drugs which found that one in 20 adults and one in ten young people had taken cocaine; his views on whether these findings reflect the continued widespread availability of this drug; the steps he is taking to reduce demand for cocaine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41021/08]
I launched bulletin 4 of the all-Ireland drug prevalence survey, focusing on cocaine, on behalf of the National Advisory Committee on Drugs last month and I am fully aware of its findings. This bulletin gives an in-depth analysis of cocaine use in the country and helps to deepen our understanding of such use.
While the findings that 5.3% of all adults aged 15 to 64 years and 8.2% of those aged 15 to 34 years had used cocaine are serious, it must be borne in mind that these figures are for lifetime use and therefore include many people who have only tried cocaine once or twice. Of more significant importance are the findings in respect of recent and current use, that is, those who had taken cocaine in the past year and past month. The figures for these two groups are 1.7% and 0.5% of the overall population, respectively. The corresponding figures for younger adults aged 15 to 34 years indicate that cocaine use is predominantly a younger adult phenomenon.
While the proportion of the population using cocaine on a regular basis is relatively small, there are clearly concerns about the health consequences for the people who are taking the drug and the criminal activity generated around the supply of cocaine and other drugs. At the same time, it is important to note that some findings of the survey are encouraging, particularly the numbers stopping their use of the drug and the increased recognition of the risks involved in taking cocaine. The percentage of those users who had stopped using cocaine increased from 62% in 2002-03 to 82% of all adults and 78% of those aged 15 to 34 years in 2006-07. In this regard "health reasons" was given as the most common cause for stopping. I hope this indicates that drugs awareness messages are beginning to hit home.
Tackling cocaine use is a priority for the Government and the implementation of the recommendations of the joint National Advisory Committee on Drugs-national drugs strategy team report, An Overview of Cocaine Use in Ireland, published in 2007, is an important part of the overall approach.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House.
The report recognised the need, over the medium term, for a re-orientation of drug services from drug specific interventions to treatment tailored towards the individual, regardless of the drugs he or she uses. This is increasingly necessary given the widespread instances of polydrug use now occurring. International evidence also suggests that treatment, primarily in the form of counselling, works with cocaine users. I am aware that the HSE is in the process of re-engineering its services to this end.
As regards direct interventions, this year I have made additional funding of €1.2 million available for 17 cocaine initiatives through the drug task forces. These will support the development of new responses to cocaine misuse, strengthen and develop existing cocaine specific projects in drug task force areas and support other projects aimed at tackling polydrug and cocaine use. Of these projects, 12 are located in local drug task force areas in Dublin, with the others in Ennis, Drogheda, Mallow and Ballyragget. This reflects the fact, as the survey indicates, that prevalence rates tend to be higher in the east, spanning an area extending roughly from County Louth to County Cork. The final project involves the training of frontline personnel to deal with cocaine issues, building on the work already being done by the HSE, both with its own staff and with those in the community and voluntary sectors who are dealing with the cocaine problem.
These allocations add to six cocaine specific projects in local drug task force areas which are already funded under the emerging needs fund. Furthermore, the fund supports nine other projects aimed at polydrug and cocaine use. I am satisfied the resources being provided will make a real impact on the cocaine problem.
Meanwhile, the Garda and customs service of the Revenue Commissioners continue to target the criminals involved in the illicit drugs trade. In this regard, I applaud their excellent work and that of the Irish Naval Service in seizing a substantial quantity of cocaine off the Cork coast last week.
In the area of prevention, the Health Service Executive launched a national awareness campaign in February of this year, focusing on the dangers of cocaine use. This campaign is being augmented by local campaigns on the cocaine theme organised by drug task forces, for which I have provided funding of €500,000.
As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is in the process of developing a new national drugs strategy for the period 2009 to 2016. The data on cocaine in the drug prevalence survey is timely in that regard and will help to inform the work on the formulation of a new strategy which I hope to publish in the coming months.
The two key words associated with drug use are "supply" and "demand". As regards the former, the Garda, Army and Naval Service are to be complimented on their detection successes which have put drug barons under pressure. However, the Government's failure to decrease the level of demand for drugs is unacceptable and requires urgent action. I recall Deputies lauding the efforts of the Irish Examiner for highlighting the problem of drug use. The Government did not follow up on the newspaper’s endeavours.
What will the Minister of State do to try to provide alternatives to drug use? His senior Minister admitted to me on a previous occasion that we must try to find alternatives to drug use. I am not aware of any action by the Department or the Minster of State, who I accept was appointed to office only recently, to provide alternatives.
In February 2008, a national public awareness campaign was launched entitled, The Party's Over. The figures before us do not suggest the party is over. The Minister of State must take action. What does he propose to do?
We do not view cocaine in isolation as it is associated with polydrug use with the result that people do not tend to have only a cocaine problem. The way to address the problem is through the national drug strategy, which has a number of key elements, including tackling the supply side, an issue to which the Deputy alluded. Another key element is prevention, education and awareness and our efforts in this area will continue.
It is interesting to note that while the report we are discussing indicated that cocaine use has increased in the age profile, this phenomenon is visible in most developed countries as they become affluent.
It was also very telling and worthwhile to note that those who had tried and used cocaine had given it up. That figure had also increased. The evidence for this is that they had given it up for health reasons. From that viewpoint, the campaigns in terms of education and awareness are working because people who are experimenting tend to stop using the drug.
It is important when looking at the prevalence figures not to over-concentrate on the life-time use because that includes anyone who might have used the drug once, but rather on the shorter period, such as usage in the last month or last year. Where those figures are smaller around the country, it is acknowledged that those who have used it have reduced significantly and are giving up the drug. The main reason for this is health issues and that would indicate that some of the programmes, policies, education and awareness campaigns are beginning to take effect, as indicated when the 2002-03 survey is compared to that for 2006-07.
Is the Minister of State not worried by the statement that the most prevalent access to the drug is through family members? If he says that health considerations are the most common reason for people giving up cocaine usage, is it not amazing that the most prevalent way of it moving on is through family members? Some 25% of people now know — as compared to 2003 when only 14% knew — of people who take cocaine. It has become a dominant factor in society because families are moving it along. Again, I ask what is being done in regard to that aspect.
The National Road Safety Authority has signage and other advertising, etc., but we do not seem to be doing that or following the NRSA's example in terms of reducing deaths on roads.
78 Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the specific recommendations that were made and the action that was taken following an investigation undertaken by his Department into employment policies and procedures at Waterways Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40978/08]
As I have previously stated on the record of the House, an independent investigation into allegations of bullying and harassment and related matters in Waterways Ireland was carried out jointly in 2005 on behalf of my Department and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland. A joint statement on behalf of the Departments was issued on 4 April 2005 regarding the findings of the investigators' report, including actions to be taken arising from it.
As the Departments' statement is too long to read out in the time available to me to answer a priority question, I have arranged for a copy to be made available to the Deputy. The key point is that a substantial number of allegations were made and these were thoroughly investigated. The outcome of the investigations, as clearly stated in the Departments' statement at the time, is that the bulk of allegations made by the complainant were not upheld. The investigators made a single recommendation to the effect that an independent review of the practices and policies relating to bullying in the organisation should be carried out. In addition, the Departments agreed that two further actions arising from the report of the investigators should be implemented. First, that an arrangement be made for further courses in relation to bullying for all members of staff, including the CEO, building on the considerable work that had been carried out in the organisation, under the personal direction of the CEO and, second, that an open and transparent policy on recruitment and promotion be followed in all future appointments and promotions.
All of the actions were delivered by the CEO to the satisfaction of the two Departments.
In light of the Minister's response one might believe nothing is wrong in Waterways Ireland. In the event, why did a tribunal award €70,000 in one case and €50,000 in another? How much more had to be paid in response to allegations in Waterways Ireland?
In his reply the Minister said recommendations had been made regarding recruitment and bullying. One of the recommendations made on bullying was that all staff, including the CEO, would have to take a course dealing with the issue. Did the CEO take such a course and if so, has the Minister taken any action, as it is already costing taxpayers both North and South, €120,000 plus legal fees? There is great concern in the North with regard to employing people and on the aspect of bullying. Those involved are not happy with the replies they are getting from either the Minister or his Department in this regard. They believe a proper investigation has not been put in place.
Everything done by my Department had been done jointly with the Northern Ireland Department, so there is no solo run here. It is joint action in all respects because that is the way the body is set up. My information is that the actions agreed to were delivered by the CEO to the satisfaction of the Departments.
The Deputy has raised a question regarding subsequent legal actions. Following legal advice on issues raised by the complainant, in the aftermath of the investigations, the Departments concluded and informed him that there was no need for formal disciplinary action against the CEO. They could see no grounds on which they should take action on further allegations made by the complainant, given the reality that the bulk of his previous assertions had been thoroughly and independently investigated and not upheld. The complainant subsequently took a claim to an industrial tribunal in Northern Ireland to the effect that he had been victimised by Waterways Ireland. A compromise agreement was reached in September 2007 that Waterways Ireland would pay €50,000 without admission of liability. The legal advice to Waterways Ireland was that this was a good result because the complainant's legal fees probably exceeded that amount. The complainant continues to have a case pending before the High Court in Belfast.
Some €120,000 of taxpayers' money has been paid to somebody who brought a case to the tribunal in the North — and there were two different people involved. With regard to the person who is creating the problem, why is he in the position he holds? He is being rewarded with bonuses, and a job, and yet it has so far cost the taxpayers of this country €120,000, with a case pending in the High Court in Belfast.
In the North there are standards. I want to know why action is not being taken against the CEO, as there is a problem.
The same standards apply here.
No, in the North they have standards.
I beg the Deputy's pardon.
Jobs are advertised and must be applied for. The Minister thought he could fill the position without it being advertised. That is why compensation is being paid.
As I tried to explain to the Deputy, all actions taken by Waterways Ireland are agreed to by the two Departments. The two Departments are joined equally in all of these issues. Everything is agreed step by step by the two Departments.
I should like to clarify another issue. In 2005 a member of the public took a case to an industrial tribunal in Northern Ireland, claiming he had been disadvantaged ——
The time for this question has expired.
Just so the Deputy is fully briefed, if he wishes I can arrange for a full confidential briefing to be given to him by my officials, so that he has all the facts in the case. I have no doubt that when he sees all the facts he will come to the conclusion that this matter has been properly and thoroughly dealt with.
79 Deputy Catherine Byrne asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the implications of budget 2009 on the national drugs strategy; the locations at which the 5% cuts in current spending on drugs initiatives which were highlighted in the budget will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40979/08]
The Government has been, and remains, firmly committed to tackling the problem of drug misuse in our society. This is evidenced by the fact that between 2003 and 2008, there was a doubling of funding targeted at community-based initiatives, through my Department's Vote, from €31.5 million to over €64 million.
The reduction in the 2009 funding allocation to the Department for the drugs initiatives must, therefore, be viewed in that context. In 2008, the budget for community-based initiatives in the local and regional drugs task force areas, including funding for new cocaine and rehabilitation measures introduced during the year, amounts to nearly €34.8 million. While the funding available for 2009 has not yet been finalised, I expect the comparable figure for next year to be approximately €34.4 million, a relatively small reduction.
In this context, the Deputy should note that of the foregoing, funding for projects in the drug task forces' action plans in 2009, which make up the bulk of the funding in my Department, will be maintained at 2008 levels, that is, €32 million. Once the funding for next year is finalised, it will be a matter for the drugs task forces, in conjunction with the national drugs strategy team and my Department, to identify measures to enable them to work within their allocated budgets.
The drugs strategy is based on a co-ordinated effort across many Departments and agencies and the Department's allocation is only part of a much bigger investment programme in drugs services by these other bodies. In 2006, it was estimated that expenditure on drugs programmes across all the bodies was approximately €220 million. My Department is currently updating this figure for 2007. Other savings have been made in the young people's facilities and services fund, YPFSF, which as the Deputy may be aware is being transferred to the office of the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Barry Andrews. I am sure my colleague, Deputy Barry Andrews, and his officials will provide every assistance to groups as they make adjustments to their operations to allow for savings next year.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House.
The bulk of the remainder of my Department's allocation under the drugs strategy funds the work for the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, NDST, the Family Support Network and Citywide, all of which will have to identify some savings in 2009. My officials are working to identify those at present.
Finally, the Deputy should note that we are making every effort to ensure the daily frontline services provided across my Department's programmes and schemes are protected as much as possible. We will continue to liaise with the task forces, other relevant agencies and the NDST over the coming months and will provide every assistance possible to ensure the continued operation of vital services in disadvantaged areas.
I thank the Minister of State for his answer. However I am still not clear on the details; neither, it appears, is the Minister. I tabled this question because a large number of groups contact me on a daily basis and want to find out what the budget will be, what services will remain and what services will be going. The Minister of State made a statement on the day of the budget in his address on frontline services and said, "It is my objective to ensure funding goes directly to frontline services" and then went on to say his Department will not support new contracts to provide support services and community development projects.
I met a group of community outreach workers recently who were convincing in telling me their projects will have reduced numbers of outreach workers. They have been told they must cut back on their budgets and use their budget accordingly, and I can understand that as there are problems with money. This is a service that is very important for young people and communities. The Minister of State spoke previously on RAPID areas and there is a huge problem with services being cut.
Last Thursday I spoke to a project worker in my area who told me they sought another outreach worker and were told there was no chance in the world they would get one, either this year, next year or the year after. That is a failure of the Government to provide services that should be on the ground, particularly in communities that need them. It is fine for the Minister of State to stand up and say there is a 5% cut in current spending. I realise there have to be cuts across the board, but this is vital area in any community. Drugs are one of the most lethal weapons in today's society for young people, and in every parish, community and home the issue is spoken about on a daily basis. One only has to pick up a newspaper to see the coverage.
If there is to be a 5% cut it should be channelled in a certain area, and perhaps should be considered in the Minister of State's Department and not in the community where it would make a huge difference to many people.
I welcome the opportunity to clarify the answer. Deputy Byrne quoted from budget day when I said, "my emphasis is to maintain frontline services". It is true that funding for the drugs subhead in the Department has been cut by 5%, but the drugs taskforces, which deliver the community-based projects the Deputy mentioned, will receive precisely the same amount of money in 2009 as they did in 2008 despite the 5% cut.
Deputy Byrne may argue this does not allow for the expansion of services, and I will concede that, but my hope is that those running the drugs taskforces and engaging with them will be able to deliver the same outcomes next year as they did this year for the same amount of money. I do not believe it should be impossible for any organisation to find internal savings; it is no different from my own Department. The reality is that the internal savings they are asked to make is based on receiving the same allocation in 2009 as in 2008. The challenge for local or regional taskforces is to ensure they can deliver the same level of service.
They are not facing a 5% cut. The budget for the drugs issue is cut by 5%, but the taskforces which fund community-based projects Deputy Byrne mentioned will have no cut next year. They are receiving precisely the same figure as 2008. It does not allow for expansion but it focuses our efforts on delivering what the Deputy has asked for, which is frontline services. There is no cut there and that needs to be re-emphasised.
80 D’fhiafraigh Deputy Dinny McGinley den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cad é an tionchar a bheidh ag na giorruithe a fógraíodh sa cháinaisnéis ar imeachtaí agus éifeacht Údarás na Gaeltachta ó thaobh tograí úra, comharchumainn, naíonraí, clár tógála agus inmharthanacht an Údaráis go ginearálta; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [40982/08]
Mar is eol don Teachta, tá dúshláin mhóra airgeadais roimh na tíre faoi láthair a heascraíonn as cúinsí idirnáisiúnta agus náisiúnta. Chun dul i ngleic leis na dúshláin seo, níl de rogha ag an Rialtas ach srianta a chur le caiteachas trasna na earnála Stáit ar fad agus féachaint chuige go bhfuil an luach is fearr agus is féidir á fháil as an gcaiteachas sin.
Tá soláthar iomlán de €37.129 milliún curtha ar fáil d'Údarás na Gaeltachta sna Meastacháin do 2009. Cé gur laghdú de thuairim is 8% é seo i gcomparáid le Meastacháin 2008, creidimse nach gciallaíonn sé seo go mbeidh ciorrú substaintiúil á dhéanamh ar ghníomhaíochtaí an Údaráis i dtaca le leas phobal na Gaeltachta.
Ar an chéad dul síos, tá suim bhreise de €2 milliún á chur ar fáil ag mo Roinn don Údarás i mbliana chun cabhrú leis an chlár caipitil atá idir lámha a chur chun cinn. Ar an dara dul síos, beidh sé de dhualgas ar an Údarás, mar aon le gach eagraíocht Stáit eile i gcomhthéacs na gcúinsí airgeadais atá tagtha chun cinn, grinnscrúdú a dhéanamh ar réimsí caiteachais uile na heagraíochta, an réimse riaracháin ach go háirithe, chun féachaint chuige go bhfuiltear ag feidhmiú ar bhealach atá lán-éifeachtach agus tairbheach. Sa chomhthéacs seo agus ag éirí as cruinnithe a bhí agam le gairid leis an gcathaoirleach, leis an bpríomhfheidhmeannach agus le toscaireacht ón mbord, tá mise dóchasach go mbeidh an tÚdarás in ann feidhmiú laistigh dá bhuiséad trí straitéisí nuálacha a chur i gcrích agus tríd úsáid éifeachtach a bhaint as acmhainní agus cláracha Stáit éagsúla atá ar fáil.
Ar ndóigh, ní mór féachaint ar chomhthéacs níos leithne ná an tÚdarás féin chomh fada agus a bhaineann sé le caiteachas an Stáit ar an nGaeltacht. Chomh maith leis an soláthair sa bhreis ar €37 milliún atá ar fáil don Údarás i 2009, tá €54 milliún eile beagnach le caitheamh trí Vóta mo Roinnse ar scéimeanna éagsúla sa Ghaeltacht agus ar na hoileáin, a bhfuil formhór an daonra a chónaíonn orthu sa Ghaeltacht. Meabhraím don Teachta freisin go bhfuil €17.3 milliún agus €4.6 milliún ceadaithe faoin gclár nua forbartha tuaithe do Mheitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta agus do Chomhar na nOileán faoi seach don tréimhse cúig bliana amach romhainn. Tá mé cinnte go n-aontóidh an Teachta, mar sin, nach bhfuil neamhaird á dhéanamh ag an Stát ar riachtanais fhorbartha na Gaeltachta.
Caithfidh mé a rá go bhfuil an tAire i bhfad níos dóchasaí faoi thodhcaí an Údaráis sa bhliain amach romhainn ná mar atá mise. Is cinnte go bhfuil sé níos dóchasaí ná mar atá baill thofa Údarás na Gaeltachta, baill ainmnithe Údarás na Gaeltachta agus feidhmeannaigh Údarás na Gaeltachta, mar go raibh orthu cruinniú a éileamh leis an Aire le seachtain nó dhó anuas chun iarracht a dhéanamh a fhreagraí a fháil.
Anois, nuair a fheiceann muid go bhfuil gearradh siar de 15% ar chaiteachas reatha an Údaráis, nach n-aontódh an tAire liom go mbeidh impleachtaí tromchúiseacha aige sin do mhór-imeachtaí agus d'imeachtaí tábhachtacha an Údaráis? Mar shampla, imeachtaí cosúil le folúntais a líonadh, costais foirne, cruinnithe boird, comhairleoirí agus fadhbanna cothabhála. Bíonn airgead de dhíth ag an Údarás le haghaidh iad seo seachtain i ndiaidh seachtaine agus mí i ndiaidh míosa.
Cé go ndúirt an tAire go bhfuil eagraíochtaí eile faoin a chúram atá ag fáil €54 milliún, nach n-aontódh an tAire liom gurb é an t-Údarás príomh eagraíocht forbartha na Gaeltachta chomh fada agus a bhaineann sé le fostaíocht, eacnamaíocht agus mar sin de? Cuir i gcás go bhfuil mór thionscal ann — tá na feidhmeannaigh le moladh as a bheith amuigh lá agus oíche ag cuardach mór thionscnaimh dos na Gaeltachtaí — agus go n-aimsíonn siad ceann, ach go mbeidh airgead breise de dhíth, an gciallaíonn seo nach mbeidh siad ábalta a leithéid a mhealladh isteach sa Ghaeltacht chun fostaíochta fíor thábhachtach a chur ar fáil?
Beidh sé deacair an méid sin a fhreagairt san am atá agam. Ar an gcaiteachas, séard atá déanta agam ná, tá €2 mhilliúin a bhí le tabhairt an bhliain seo chugainn tugtha cheana féin i mbliana. Sin €2 mhilliúin breise i mbliana. Ní hamháin sin, ach níl na gciorraithe ach €1.5 milliúin an bhliain seo chugainn. Mar sin, tá €0.5 milliúin breise thar mar a gealladh san NDP tugtha ó thaobh chaipitil de.
Tá sin caite i mbliana.
Sea. D'iarr siad go dtabharfaí ar aghaidh é, mar bhí roinnt díolacháin i gceist acu a dhéanamh, nach rabhadar in ann a dhéanamh i mbliana agus tá súil acu iad a dhéanamh an bhliain seo chugainn. Is iad féin a d'iarr orm é a dhéanamh mar seo.
Maidir le cúrsaí riaracháin, tá €11.9 milliúin curtha ar fáil, ach le sin, tá na cíosanna a fhaigheann an tÚdarás. Fágann sin go bhfuil €13 mhilliúin nó €14 mhilliúin le haghaidh cúrsaí riaracháin. Caithfimid cur le sin an t-airgead riaracháin ar fad atá á íoc le MFG agus Comhar na nOileán atá ag feidhmiú sa Ghaeltacht. Caithfimid an cheist a chur faoi sin.
I gcomhthéacs na ráitis atá á chur amach ag an Teachta Richard Bruton, agus na ráitis atá á dhéanamh ag ceannaire Fhine Gael——
Ná bac leis an Teachta Richard Bruton, is leis an Aire atá muid ag plé. Beimid ag plé leis an Teachta Bruton nuair a bheidh sé thall ar an dtaobh sin.
Tá an t-am istigh.
Ba mhaith liom ceist eile a chur ar an Aire. I dtaobh na h-eagraíochtaí teanga, na h-eagraíochtaí cultúrtha, na naíonraí agus na comharchumainn, an mbeidh siadsan in ann gníomhú leis an gearradh siar atáthar ag cur i bhfeidhm?
Tá sé ráite agam cheana, nach mbeidh aon chiorrú ar na naíonraí. Maidir leis na h-eagraíochtaí pobal-bhunaithe, tá roinnt eagraíochtaí pobal-bhunaithe atá á mhaoiniú ag an Roinn i gceanntracha Gaeltachta agus eagraíocht ag an Údarás sa gceanntair céanna. Níl aon chiall leis sin. Tá sé ráite ag Teachta go bhfuil dul amú ar an Údarás leis sin. Beidh comheagar á dhéanamh idir an Roinn agus an t-Údarás leis na fadhbanna seo a réiteach agus tá comhoibriú iomlán le fáil ar an mbord agus táimid ar chomhthuiscint ar an mhéid sin.
