Vol. 1049 No. 6
1. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her views on the two reports recently commissioned and published at RTÉ on Toy Show The Musical and the voluntary exit programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7245/24]
I ask the Minister for her views on the two reports recently commissioned and published by RTÉ on Toy Show The Musical and the voluntary exit programme and if she will make a statement.
The report into Toy Show The Musical highlights serious failings in governance oversight, financial management and appropriate control procedures with regard to the project. The facts the report sets out are clearly very disappointing and confirm what was already known, which is that there were failings of proper oversight and an absence of interrogation of the project by the board.
This speaks again to the culture within RTÉ at that time and the dysfunction that existed between the board and senior management. Since then, the chair, Ms Siún Ní Raghallaigh, and the director general, Mr. Kevin Bakhurst, have taken steps to ensure such dysfunction does not happen again.
The report, while bringing some clarity to the events surrounding the musical, did not name the individuals who engaged with Grant Thornton. I raised this issue with the chair of RTÉ when she briefed me on that report. This was also raised by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media. Further transparency has since been afforded by the revised version of the report, which was published this week. This does include the names of the majority of individuals involved who engaged with Grant Thornton. RTÉ staff members below the executive level are not named.
With regard to the McCann Fitzgerald report commissioned by RTÉ into the 2017 and 2021 voluntary exit programmes, I said that this showed an appalling disregard for the principles of equity, fairness and transparency in the treatment of staff, which prevailed at the time. I met the director general, Mr. Bakhurst, on the day of publication and he assured me that the control and oversight reforms introduced over the past number of months will ensure that this will not happen again.
As I previously stated, we need to uncover the detail of what has happened in the past to ensure it will not recur. Our imperative now must be to look to the future. Key to this will be the recommendations of the two independent expert advisory committees, which were commissioned by the Government to carry out reviews of governance, culture and HR matters at RTÉ. I arranged for copies of the Grant Thornton 3 and McCann FitzGerald reports to be forwarded to the expert advisory committees and they will help inform their work, which is nearing conclusion.
Finally, I have said all along that we need not only transparency but also accountability and only yesterday, representatives of RTÉ appeared before the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media, on which the Deputy sits, to account for their actions with regard to the reports.
First, I have to say that again I submitted a question to the Minister around bogus self-employment at RTÉ and once again, it was rejected. I am running out of ways to word the question in the hope that the Minister will actually answer it. I see that she met Mr. Bakhurst in the last couple of weeks and she also met the unions, which would suggest that it is something that comes under her remit and for which she is responsible, yet it is impossible to get her to address it in the Chamber, where she is accountable. She has the oversight role as Minister but there is a gap in that oversight role if she is not even going to give her opinion or the Government position or if questions keep being blocked. I had to put that on the record.
The substitute question relates to the two reports, to which the Minister has responded. She may have followed the proceedings yesterday where she would have seen that many of those who were responsible for carrying out procedures, without having proper oversight or showing due diligence and who were doing something they knew at the time was wrong, are still in situ. Has the Minister revised her opinion on that matter with regard to those people in positions on the executive board?
To address the Deputy's first issue, the Department of Social Protection is continuing a scope investigation into the classification and potential reclassification of a group of contractors at RTÉ and, as with other HR matters at RTÉ, neither I nor my Department have any involvement in that process. It is a historic review examining status and, consequently, PRSI classification of different groups of workers over a long period of time looking at approximately 700 people. In many cases, those involved will no longer be engaged by RTÉ. They may now be employees or they may have been properly classified as self-employed. As I said, however, as with other HR matters, neither I nor my Department have any involvement in the process. There is a process in place with the Department of Social Protection, however.
With regard to the voluntary exit scheme report, it does show that proper approval procedures were agreed and were applied in most cases. There was one exception to this, however. That exception was the agreement that was reached with the former chief financial officer, CFO. This severance package was not approved by the former executive board as was required. There are other highlight cases. I can come back to the Deputy. I just wanted to address the Deputy's first issue, but I can come back to her.
Yesterday, the director of HR who was responsible for putting through that exit package, which came in at a cost of just under €500,000 to the taxpayers, appeared at the committee. The director of HR put through the procedure with that exit package, knowing that it did not meet the criteria and knowing full well it broke the rules and was not compliant with the scheme. That person processed that package and signed a letter saying it was approved by the board, knowing full well it was never approved, and that executive director of HR is still in situ.
When it comes to trust and accountability, but also with regard to the whopper €450,000 package that did not comply with any scheme and that Revenue is now chasing for tax, does the Minister think the former CFO should pay that package back?
Both the McCann Fitzgerald report and yesterday's committee hearing have brought more clarity to the questions of the approval of the exit package for Ms O'Keeffe. As I said, the report does show that proper approval procedures were agreed and were applied in most cases but there was one exception to this. It is important that yesterday the head of HR did appear before the committee for accountability. The other key players really need to come forward to the committees, and whether it is the case that they are unavailable or that it happens when they are in a better state of health, accountability from those people is needed. However, appointment of staff to the leadership team in RTÉ is a matter for the director general. I am not going to second-guess his judgment on this matter. What I will say with regard to the exit package that was revealed yesterday is that while there may not be a legal obligation on the former CFO, I concur that there is a moral obligation.
2. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán an ndéanfaidh sí míniú a thabhairt ar cén fáth nár caitheadh ach €208,668 ar thogra amháin Gaeilge faoi Thionscnamh an Oileáin Comhroinnte i gcomparáid le breis is €9 milliún ar thograí ealaíona agus cultúir, agus an bhfuil sé i gceist aici an éagóir sin a cheartú trí bhreis infheistiú a chur isteach san earnáil Ghaeilge go luath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7349/24]
Sula dtosaím, déanaim pointe ó thaobh prótacal de mar arís tá "and if she will make a statement on the matter" i mBéarla curtha leis na ceisteanna seo. Níl a fhios agam cén fáth é sin. Níl an locht ar an Aire í féin ach tá mé a lua ó thaobh an chórais sa Teach.
Tá mé ag iarraidh ar an Aire freagra a thabhairt ar an scannal atá nochtaithe ag Tuairisc.ie inné, bunaithe ar na freagraí a thug an tAire Stáit dom seachtain ó shin, a léirigh go bhfuil maoiniú ó chiste an oileáin chomhroinnte ag déanamh an éagóir a rinneadh i leith na Gaeilge níos measa.
Tá maoiniú dár luach €2 milliún ceadaithe do mo Roinn go dtí seo ó chiste an oileáin chomhroinnte. Tá sé seo dírithe ar thionscadail in earnáil na Gaeilge agus na hUltaise, ar mhaithe le tuiscint níos fearr a chothú ar oidhreacht teanga agus cultúir an oileáin ar fad. Tá an t-allúntas seo ar fáil le caitheamh idir seo agus deireadh na bliana seo chugainn.
Anuas air sin, dár ndóigh, tá soláthar iomlán d’os cionn €18.7 milliún i Meastacháin mo Roinne i mbliana do chomhoibriú trasteorann chun tacú, ach go h-áirithe, le hobair an Fhorais Teanga chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn ar fud an oileáin agus chun feasacht agus úsáid níos leithne na hUltaise agus cultúr na hUltaise a chur chun cinn. Agus an cheist seo á plé, is ceart a thabhairt san áireamh nach bhfuil a leithéid de shocrú institiúideach ar fáil in earnáil na n-ealaíon agus an chultúir. Leanann oifigigh mo Roinne ag plé le grúpaí éagsúla maidir le tograí féideartha atá ag teacht le spriocanna an tionscadail uile-rialtais seo agus a d'fhéadfadh a bheith oiriúnach le cur faoi bhráid an Rialtais mar chuid de na cinntí faoi chaitheachas faoi chiste an oileáin chomhroinnte. Is í aidhm an oileáin chomhroinnte ná an oiread leas agus is féidir a bhaint as na deiseanna ar fad a eascraíonn as Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta chun comhoibriú, caidreamh agus comhthuiscint a fheabhsú ar an oileán seo chun teacht ar chomhaontú maidir le todhchaí chomhroinnte.
Cheana féin, mar chuid den airgead atá curtha ar fáil ag mo Roinn, tá tacaíocht á cur ar fáil don obair atá ar bun faoi láthair ag Naíscoil na Seolta in oirthear Bhéal Feirste. Tá os cionn €200,000 curtha ar fáil don naíscoil tríd an gciste go dtí seo. Is tionscadal fíorthábhachtach é seo d'fhorbairt na Gaeilge i mBéal Feirste. Leanfaidh mise agus mo Roinn ag plé go dlúth le grúpaí eile a bhfuil ábhair thionscadail ar intinn acu in earnáil na Gaeilge a chuirfeadh le tionscnamh an oileáin chomhroinnte.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Fáiltím dár ndóigh roimh an caiteachas de bhreis is €200,000 ar Naíscoil na Seolta in oirthear Bhéal Feirste, ach fágann sé sin go bhfuil €1.8 milliún den airgead atá ceadaithe nach bhfuil caite go fóill. Is €2 mhilliún san iomlán a ceadaíodh ó chiste an oileáin chomhroinnte. Is féidir é sin a chur i gcomparáid leis an €9.2 milliún atá caite cheana féin ar thograí ealaíona agus cultúrtha. Is í sin an áit ina bhfuil an fhadhb bhunúsach. Cén fáth go bhfuil ceist na Gaeilge chomh tubaisteach sin maidir leis an gciste seo? Tá go leor tograí ann agus ní gá ach féachaint ar thuairisc ón choiste Oireachtais ar an obair ar fad atá ag tarlú ó thaobh na Gaeilge ar fud na Sé Chontae agus a bhfuil airgead de dhíth orthu a d'fhéadfaidís a chaitheamh go han-éasca. Cén fáth go bhfuil an t-idirdhealú seo idir na tograí cultúir agus ealaíona agus na tograí Gaeilge chomh tubaisteach?
Mar a luaigh mé, agus mar a luaigh an tAire Stáit, i bhfreagra na ceiste ar an ábhar seo le déanaí, go dtí seo tá maoiniú dár luach €2 mhilliún ó chiste an oileáin chomhroinnte ceadaithe do mo Roinn trí chinneadh Rialtais. Mar is eol don Teachta, ceann de na haidhmeanna atá ag an tionscnamh oileáin chomhroinnte ná oiread leas agus is féidir a bhaint as na deiseanna ar fad a eascraíonn as Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta. Táthar ag iarraidh comhoibriú, caidreamh agus comhthuiscint a fheabhsú ar an oileán agus teagmháil a dhéanamh le gach pobal agus gach traidisiún in iarracht teacht ar chomhaontú maidir le todhchaí chomhroinnte. Tá oifigí mo Roinne ag plé le grúpaí éagsúla maidir le tograí féideartha atá ag teacht le spriocanna an tionscadail uile-rialtais. D'fhéadfadh go mbeadh na tograí seo oiriúnach le cur faoi bhráid an Rialtais amach anseo mar chuid de na cinntí faoi chaiteachas chiste an oileáin chomhroinnte.
Agus sinn ag freastal ar an bpobal uile, tá an maoiniú seo dírithe ar thionscadal in earnáil na Gaeilge agus na hUltaise araon, arís ar mhaithe le tuiscint níos fearr a chothú ar oidhreacht teanga agus ar chultúr an oileáin trí chéile. Is céim an-dearfach í an infheistíocht bhreise seo lena dtugtar aitheantas don tábhacht atá leis an nGaeilge chomh maith leis an Ultais le Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta agus beidh sí mar thaca aige sin. Neartóidh seo an caidreamh Thuaidh-Theas tuilleadh agus cuideofar chun caidrimh nua a chruthú agus a chothú idir pobail ar gach aon taobh den Teorann.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Is ag tacú le hoidhreacht chomhroinnte atá aon chaiteachas ar thograí Gaeilge mar ní bhaineann an oidhreacht seo le haon ghlúin, aon chine, nó le haon dream ar leith. Tá géarchéim ann ó thaobh caiteachas, mar is eol don Aire, ina lán de na tograí agus na heagrais atá ag obair sna Sé Chontae agus sa Deisceart.
Luaigh an tAire an €18 milliún atá le roinnt idir Foras na Gaeilge agus Gníomhaireacht na hUltaise ach níor luaigh sí nach gcaithtear ach 8% den airgead a chaitheann an Roinn - maoiniú na Roinne - ar an nGaeilge in ainneoin go bhfuil 31% á chaitheamh ar an ealaíon agus ar an chultúr. Tá an cóimheas maoinithe sin á ardú de shíor agus is léir go bhfuil an rud céanna ag teacht isteach sa caiteachas faoi scéim an oileáin chomhroinnte seo. Tá an cóimheas sin léirithe sa ráiteas a d'fhoilsigh Chonradh na Gaeilge agus 130 eagrais eile agus sa phlean fáis atá acu.
Mar a dúirt mé, tá soláthar iomlán d'os cionn €18.7 milliún i Meastacháin mo Roinne do chomhoibriú trasteorann le háirítear leathdhála ós cionn €18 milliún chun tacú le hobair an Fhorais Teanga chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn ar fud an oileáin agus chun feasacht agus úsáid níos leithne na hUltaise agus cultúr na hUltaise a chur chun cinn. Cuirfidh an Roinn os cionn €12.3 milliún ar fáil d'Fhoras na Gaeilge in 2024. Anuas air sin, tá €700,000 curtha ar fáil i mbuiséid 2024 don Fhoras Teanga Thuaidh-Theas. Cuirfear an maoiniú breise seo ar fáil don dá áisíneacht sa bhForas Teanga nuair a bheidh sé ceadaithe ag an gComhairle Aireachta Thuaidh-Theas. Leanfaidh oifigigh mo Roinne ag obair le hoifigigh sa Roinn Pobal i dTuaisceart na hÉireann, an Roinn urraíochta eile de chuid an Fhoras Teanga Thuaidh-Theas, agus anois go bhfuil na hinstitiúidí i dTuaisceart na hÉireann ar ais ag feidhmiú, tá súil agam gur féidir dul chun cinn a dhéanamh maidir le buiséid 2024. Leanfaidh mé ar aghaidh freisin ag féachaint ar dheiseanna tacaíochta aonuaire a thabhairt do thograí ar leith nach dtagann faoi scáthchlár an Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh-Theas.
3. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for an update on the delay and suspension of Sport Ireland funding to an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6879/24]
I ask the Minister of State for an update on the suspension of Sport Funding to the FAI and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The memorandum of understanding agreed in early 2020 between the Government and the FAI allowed Sport Ireland to restore funding of €2.9 million per annum to the association and to provide additional annual funding of €2.9 million for football development up to and including 2023. The memorandum also provided for a repayable grant of €7.6 million to the FAI towards the Aviva Stadium licence fees for the years 2020 to 2022. It was agreed at a point when there was a very real risk of the association becoming insolvent. The support provided ensured that this did not happen but it was conditional on the association implementing urgent and necessary reforms. On 30 January, the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, and I published a report on the FAI's implementation of reforms under the memorandum. This report shows that 159 of the 163 items from the various governance reports and the memorandum have been implemented. This is 98% of the recommended reforms. The remaining issues related to the implementation of gender equality targets. I am pleased to note that the FAI elected two women to its board last weekend, bringing the female representation to 43%, achieving another key commitment the memorandum. The final tranches of funding for 2022 and 2023 were paid to the FAI by Sport Ireland in December and January and there is no outstanding funding due for those years. Sport Ireland will continue to work with the FAI and all other funded national governing bodies to ensure the best governance practices are implemented and maintained for the benefit of everyone involved in football in Ireland.
I thank the Minister of State for his response. He is right regarding the suspension and the rules placed upon the FAI. That was very fair and just and I commend him on doing so. When it comes to the funding of the FAI, for me, there is an infrastructural deficit within football and in Ireland that is all-incorporating. At grassroots level, I see that every single weekend and twice a week with training. The question is, where is the plan? The director's report that was released by the FAI called for a €500 million investment over the course of the next 15 years to bring the infrastructural deficit up to scratch. Perhaps we can talk about that but I am not sure if it is the right vehicle by which to improve this infrastructure in the future. More importantly, how we get it? How do we get more kids playing on pitches that are suitable to their needs? We have an explosion of popularity in the women and young girls' games. We have clubs such as Belvedere Football Club, the future of which is in doubt as a consequence of an absence of playing facilities. This for me is related to the funding. How are we going to improve this infrastructure?
I thank the Deputy for his comments. I have mentioned already the funding the Government gave the Football Association of Ireland in 2020 and it has looked at that over the past number of years. There was a real danger that the FAI would become inoperable if that funding was not provided at the time. The main funding levers through which the Government operates for infrastructure are through the sports capital and equipment programme and the large-scale sports infrastructure fund. The last large-scale sports infrastructure fund was announced in 2020 and there are top-ups this year. Only two applications were received from the FAI and we will be looking for announcing another round of applications for that in the coming weeks. I strongly encourage football and the FAI to get involved in that to ensure that they are able to do that, together with local authorities.
Also through the sports capital and equipment fund last year, we put a special emphasis on football. We spoke to the FAI before the sports capital programme started and, to be fair to the FAI, it went out on the ground encouraging its clubs to apply for funding under the programme. The number of applications from football is up, and is up as an overall percentage of the pot as well. I think that football has real potential to do well in this current round that is being looked at at the minute.
That is fantastic, I say to the Minister of State. On the condition of the FAI, I know that the Minister of State often hosts phone calls with different sports clubs on the application process. I encouraged the Minister of State to continue doing that. I know that for the football clubs I have seen, they have spent all their time just trying to organise pitches. There is not really the administrative capabilities among many of them because, so often, they are just trying to keep the wolf from the door. Could we have some kind of public awareness campaign on that?
The FAI has a job to do in letting its members know about those large-scale infrastructural grants and I do not think it has done that well to this point. That has been seen with the pitches we use. Dublin City Council, as I understand it, have abandoned places I represent such as Fairview Park together with the damage they have failed to address to improve facilities. Perhaps we might be able to get the Minister of State's office to contact Dublin City Council to let it know that that that is coming up because there is a dearth of facilities there and if money is available, I hope that working-class clubs, be they football or boxing, which have been historically left behind in these grants, will be able to avail of them.
Local authorities, to some extent take their responsibilities seriously in sports but I think that they have a great deal more to do. We especially invite applications under the large-scale sports infrastructure fund from local authorities in the coming round because local authorities have the capabilities to put these projects together. There must be an emphasis on participation, on playing the sports. Yes, we want to see stadiums around the place and they are very important but any funding which we give towards infrastructure or towards any of those capital programmes has to emphasise how this increases participation in sport. The most important criterion we have is to get those targets up.
We need more facilities in the Deputy's area, in Dublin 8, in my area and in the area of the Minister, Deputy Martin, and the local authorities have the responsibility to come up with the plans to do this and to then seek funding from their own resources - Dublin City Council, for example, is well resourced as is Fingal - but also from our Department under the various programmes we have. We are more than happy to listen to the proposals which local authorities have.
4. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán ar léigh sí moltaí Shinn Féin faoi conas cothromaíocht inscne agus rannpháirtíocht leathan a chinntiú trí thoghcháin Údarás na Gaeltachta inár gcáipéis Dínit, Dea-Chleachtas, Daonlathas don Ghaeltacht; an dóigh léi go réiteodh an córas molta sa cháipéis sin na fadhbanna atá le sárú roimh thoghcháin a thabhairt ar ais; agus an mbeidh reachtaíocht réidh in am leis na toghcháin gheallta ar an lá céanna leis na toghcháin áitiúla agus Eorpacha i mbliana; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7350/24]
Baineann an cheist seo leis an toghchán don údarás atá le teacht agus tá réiteach ag Sinn Féin ar an gcothromas inscne atá ag cur bac, de réir an Aire Stáit, ar an reachtaíocht a bheith foilsithe chun go mbeadh toghchán Údarás na Gaeltachta ann arís. D'fhoilsigh muidne ceann de na réitigh nuair a rinneamar foilsiú ar an doiciméad Dínit, Dea-Chleachtas, Daonlathas don Ghaeltacht, agus fiafraím den Aire ar fhéach sí ar an doiciméad sin?
: Faoi réir chinneadh an Rialtais ag deireadh 2022, aontaíodh gur próiseas toghcháin agus roghnúcháin a bheidh ann in áit an phróisis ainmniúcháin agus roghnúcháin atá i bhfeidhm faoi láthair mar a bhaineann sé leis an gcaoi a cheaptar Bord Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Faoin mBille um Údarás na Gaeltachta (Leasú) 2022 atá á bheartú chuige sin, is bord de 16 duine in áit 12 duine a bheadh ann nuair atá saolré an chéad bhord eile caite ag deireadh 2024. Faoin reachtaíocht leasaithe, in áit seachtar a bheith ainmnithe chuig an mbord ag na húdaráis áitiúla lena mbaineann, mar atá i bhfeidhm le deich mbliana anuas, thoghfaí deichniúr thar ceann na gceantar Gaeltachta agus cheapfaí an seisear eile de thoradh comórtas poiblí. Ar nós mar atá i bhfeidhm faoi láthair, is í nó é an tAire a cheapfadh cathaoirleach an bhoird. Tá obair leanúnach ag dul ar aghaidh ar an togra reachtaíochta seo agus tá ceannteidil agus scéim ghinearálta nua ina leith á n-ullmhú le cur os comhair an Rialtais le faobhadh go gairid.
Is ceist rí-thábhachtach í an comhionannas inscne domsa mar Aire agus caithfear gach uile iarracht a dhéanamh chun comhionannas inscne a bhaint amach ar gach bord Stáit. Tá mé eolach ar an gcáipéis a luann an Teachta agus is ar na comhthéacsanna sin a d'iarr mé go sonrach ar Chomhchoiste na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta, agus Phobal Labhartha na Gaeilge scrúdú a dhéanamh ar bhearta féideartha chun cothromaíocht inscne iomchuí a bhaint amach sa phróiseas roghnúcháin agus toghcháin nua-bheartaithe, i gcomhréir le beartas an Rialtais maidir le cothromaíocht inscne ar bhord Stáit.
Tá moltaí curtha faoi mo bhráid ag an gcomhchoiste ina thuairisc réamhreachtach ar an mBille a foilsíodh i mí Iúil seo caite. Tá na moltaí sin á mbreithniú ag oifigigh mo Roinne faoi láthair. Tá an obair a bhaineann leis an mBille fós ag dul ar aghaidh d'fhonn na toghcháin a reáchtáil i Meitheamh 2024. Láidreoidh an reachtaíocht seo an nasc idir an pobal agus Údarás na Gaeltachta agus tabharfaidh sé glór láidir do mhuintir na Gaeltachta sna blianta amach romhainn.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire agus as a hadmháil go bhfuil na dréachtóirí sa Roinn agus in áiteanna eile ag díriú isteach ar an gceist seo mar tá éadóchas ag teacht ar dhaoine an mbeidh an toghchán seo i mí Meithimh i mbliana toisc nach bhfuil an reachtaíocht os comhair na Dála go fóill. Níl a fhios agam cad iad na hathruithe móra atá i gceist. Luaigh an tAire Stáit nach raibh sé sásta go mbeadh an dáta sin ann i mbliana agus, ansin, an tseachtain seo caite, dúirt sé liom sa choiste go mbeadh sé ar siúl, go raibh sé dóchasach go mbeadh an dáta seo ann i mbliana agus go mbeadh an toghchán don údarás ar siúl ag an am céanna is a bheidh na toghcháin Eorpacha. Cad é an dáta deiridh a shíleann an tAire a bheidh i gceist sula mbeidh an reachtaíocht foilsithe agus curtha faoi bhráid na Dála, ionas gur féidir linn a dhéanamh cinnte de go mbeidh an toghchán ann mar tá iarrthóirí agus daoine áitiúla ag iarraidh go mbeadh an cinneadh seo déanta anois?
Mar a dúirt mé, tá an obair a bhaineann leis an mBille ag dul ar aghaidh fós chun an toghchán a reáchtáil i Meitheamh 2024. Táim ag díriú fós ar thoghchán a bheith againn ar an lá céanna a bheidh na toghcháin áitiúla ar siúl i mbliana. Tugann an toghchán deis don phobal sa cheantar Gaeltachta ionadaithe a roghnú don bhord. Láidreoidh an próiseas seo an nasc idir an pobal agus Údarás na Gaeltachta agus tá sé fíorthábhachtach domsa agus do mo Roinn go mbeidh glór láidir ag muintir na Gaeltachta, agus is í seo bealach chun é sin a dhéanamh. Díreach mar gheall ar an gceist a chuir Teachta Ó Snodaigh orm maidir le foilsiú an Bhille, sílim go mbeidh sé sin ag tarlú ag tús mhí Aibreáin.
Gabhaim buíochas arís leis an Aire as a freagra. Cuireann sé sin muid ar fad faoi bhrú chun a dhéanamh cinnte de go mbeidh an reachtaíocht seo rite trí Thithe an Oireachtais chun deis a thabhairt d'iarrthóirí agus a leithéid, agus an pobal, tuiscint a bheith acu ar an toghchán nua. Tá súil agam nuair a socrófar an reachtaíocht sin go dtabharfaidh sé aird ar an méid atá sa doiciméad seo agus, chomh maith leis sin, ar na moltaí a bhí ag an gcoiste Dála, ní hamháin chun déileáil le ceist na hinscne sa tslí atá sa doiciméad ó Shinn Féin ach chun déileáil leis an gceist maidir le hionadaíocht chun a dhéanamh cinnte de go bhfuil ionadaíocht ann ó gach uile cheantar Gaeltachta, áit nach mbeadh ann sa bhealach a bhí leagtha amach ag na ceannteidil sa reachtaíocht a foilsíodh go dtí seo.
Táimid ag rá chomh maith go mbeadh níos mó cumhachtaí ag teastáil don údarás amach anseo ach is é sin ceist eile nach ndearnadh plé i gceart air sa choiste toisc go rabhamar ag déileáil go díreach leis an toghchán. Tá gá le breis tacaíochta don údarás amach anseo.
Mar a dúirt mé, tá an obair ar siúl ag mo Roinn agus bunófar coistí réigiúnacha a bheidh comhdhéanta de chomhaltaí an bhoird. Beidh sé mar chúram ag coistí réigiúnacha comhairle a chur ar an mbord maidir le saincheisteanna a bheidh ag déanamh scime do phobal na Gaeltachta.
