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SELECT COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, CULTURE, SPORT, COMMUNITY, EQUALITY AND GAELTACHT AFFAIRS debate -
Wednesday, 24 Nov 2010

Vote 27 - Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs (Supplementary)

This meeting is being convened for the purpose of considering the 2010 Supplementary Estimates for the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, Vote 27, to facilitate the following: a transfer to subhead D5, Leader rural economy sub-programme 2007-2013, of €8 million in capital funding; a transfer to subhead E1, Gaeltacht capital, of €3 million in capital funding; and a transfer to subhead E7, Údarás na Gaeltachta - grants for projects and capital expenditure on buildings, of €3 million in capital funding. I welcome the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Pat Carey, and officials from his Department, Ms Kathleen Stack, assistant secretary, Mr. Colm Treanor, principal officer, and Mr. Trevor Donnelly, assistant principal officer. I propose that we begin with an opening statement from the Minister and follow this with statements from the Opposition spokespersons.

I wish to seek approval for a Supplementary Estimate for my Department's Vote in order to increase capital expenditure by €14 million in 2010. The additional funding will be provided to the following subheads: D5, Leader rural economy sub-programme 2007-2013, €8 million; E1, Gaeltacht capital, €3 million; and E7, Údarás Na Gaeltachta - grants for projects and capital expenditure on buildings, €3 million. I am aware that members have already received a briefing note from my Department and I do not propose, therefore, to go into too much detail at this point.

The original provision for Leader in 2010 was €40 million. The purpose of this EU co-funded subhead is to fund the Leader elements - axes 3 and 4 - of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. The additional funding in 2010 is required due to greater than expected take-up under the rural development programme this year. The funding will not be used to enter into new commitments but rather to meet existing commitments that are coming to fruition earlier than expected. Many groups are finding that project promoters are in a position to complete projects earlier than expected, and additional funding is required in order to meet those demands. It should be noted that this subhead is co-funded by the EU and, therefore, appropriations-in-aid receipts associated with this expenditure will be received in 2011.

Tá gá leis an gcistiú breise €3 milliún go príomha chun íocaíochtaí a dhéanamh i ndáil le gealltanais reatha a tugadh faoi scéim tithíochta na Gaeltachta. Tá deontais faoin scéim seo ar fionraí ó Aibreán 2009, nó Meitheamh 2009 i roinnt cásanna, i leith. Tá gach iarratas cáilithe a bhí idir lámha nuair a cuireadh an scéim ar fionraí á phróiseáil anois, áfach. Baineann an €3 milliún breise atá ag teastáil don fho-mhírcheann seo anois go príomha leis an gceanglas íocaíochtaí a dhéanamh i ndáil le hiarratais rathúla. Déanfaidh an cistiú breise seo leibhéal foriomlán na ngealltanas atá fágtha a laghdú go suntasach agus bainfear an brú de leithdháileadh 2011.

Labhróidh mé anois mar gheall ar fho-mhírcheann E7, a bhaineann le caipiteal Údarás na Gaeltachta, deontais do thionscadail agus caiteachas caipitil ar fhoirgnimh. Déantar foráil san fho-mhírcheann seo do chaiteachas Údarás na Gaeltachta ar dheontais chaipitil, ar dheontais oiliúna, ar dheontais fostaíochta, ar chúnamh a thabhairt chun monarchana a thógáil agus a athchóiriú, ar inflieistíocht a dhéanamh i scaireanna, agus ar shócmhainní seasta a cheannach. Cuireadh bunsoláthar de €15 milliún ar fáil chun na críche sin sa bhliain 2010. Cuirfidh an €3 milliún breise sa bhliain 2010 ar chumas Údarás na Gaeltachta íoc as íocaíochtaí breise i mbliana, i ndáil le gealltanais a eascraíonn as raon cúrsaí oiliúna a chuir an earnáil acadúil ar fáil.

This Supplementary Estimate will allow worthwhile rural development programme projects to be completed which will have a positive effect on the rural economy and the quality of life in rural areas. Every euro spent will lead to appropriations-in-aid into the Exchequer of up to 55% from the European Union. The Supplementary Estimate will facilitate the payment of grants under the Gaeltacht housing scheme in respect of eligible applications that were on at hand at the time of the suspension of the scheme. The additional allocation to Údarás na Gaeltachta will enable additional payments to be made this year in respect of commitments arising from the provision of a range of training courses by the academic sector. Overall, this Supplementary Estimate will have positive effects on rural areas in the Gaeltacht and will remove considerable pressures from my Department's allocation in 2011. I commend it to the committee. I will be happy to provide any additional information members may require.

It is great that there is some money around, although we are just talking about millions. I call Deputy O'Shea, who probably has some questions. I also welcome Deputies Kennedy and Cyprian Brady.

Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire and oifigigh na Ranna. Níl aon trioblóid agam leis an méid ata os ár gcomhair inniu. Tá cuid mhaith den airgead seo á sholáthar chun rudaí éagsúla a ghlanadh suas. Ní tharlóidh aon rud nua mar thoradh ar an t-airgead. Tá cúpla ceist agam mar gheall ar scéim tithíochta na Gaeilge. Tá scéim tithíochta na Gaeltachta ar fionraí ó Meitheamh 2009. An bhfuil aon plean ag an Roinn an scéim a chur i bhfeidhm arís amach anseo? Cad atá mar phlean ag an Roinn? An bhfuil an scéim ar fionraí nó an bhfuil deireadh leis?

Tá sé ar fionraí. Nuair atá an an €3 milliún íoctha, beidh breis is 700 cás fós le phróiseáil. Beidh go leor airgid againn chun an chuid is mó dóibh a phróiseáil an bhliain seo chugainn. I ndáiríre, caithfear athbhreithniú ar na scéimeanna seo amach anseo. Ní féidir linn é sin a dhéanamh go dtí go mbhfuil gach iarratas faoin scéim seo íoctha.

An bhfuil an Aire ag caint faoin 700 iarratas a tháinig isteach roimh Meitheamh 2009?

Roimh Aibreán 2009.

An bhfuil an Roinn ag déileáil le hiarratais a tháinig isteach ó shin i leith?

An bhfuil an Roinn á gcur ar leataobh?

Nílimid ag glacadh le aon rud faoi láthair.

Níl an scéal soiléir ag an am seo.

Tá sé soiléir nach bhfuil cásanna nua ag teacht isteach chugainn. Nílimid ag iarraidh iad a thógaint isteach. Tá sé deacair a rá faoi láthair. Ní bheidh go leor maoiniú ag an Roinn do scéimeanna mar seo gan deireadh a chur le scéimeanna eile.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an airgead breise atá á chur ar fáil don údarás. Mar is eol don Aire, tá an moladh nach mbeidh feidhm fiontraíochta ag Údarás na Gaeltachta, nó údarás na Gaeilge, amach anseo ag goilliúnt go mór ar muintir na Gaeltachta. Cuirim fáilte mhór roimh aon rud a chabhraíonn le muintir na Gaeltachta postanna a bhaint amach, go mórmhór postanna nua-aimseartha lena mbaineann pá maith. Caithfidh postanna a bheith ar fáil sa Ghaeltacht ionas gur mbeidh daoine óga atá oilte go maith - agus daoine nach bhfuil chomh hóg, b'fhéidir - in ann fostaíocht atá oiriúnach dá gcáilíochtaí a bhaint amach sa Ghaeltacht.

Aontaím go láidir leis an Teachta. Mar is eol dó, tá sé molta i dtuarascáil an choiste go bhfágfaí an cúram fiontraíochta leis an údarás. Aontaím go pearsanta leis an moladh sin. Caithfear reachtaíocht nua a thabhairt faoi bhráid an Oireachtais an bhliain seo chugainn chun cúraimí breise nó nua a thabhairt don údarás. Is sa chomhthéacs sin a phléfidh an té a bheidh san Aireacht seo an cheist sin. Is dóigh liom go bhfuil maitheas an-mhór déanta ag Údarás na Gaeltachta chun postanna nua-aimseartha a chruthú in áiteanna nár cheap mórán daoine eile go dtarlódh a leithéid. Cé gur cailleadh roinnt postanna i mbliana, tá breis is 700 post nua chruthaithe ag an údarás. Tá píoblíne flúirseach ag an údarás go fóill.

Tá ábhar amháin eile le ardú agam. With regard to Leader and the rural economy, the scheme we are discussing goes from 2007 to 2013. What funding is left in the Leader project? I note that it is EU co-funded, but is it intended that Leader will continue or is this a winding down of Leader?

There is a total figure of €440 million under the two axes for which my Department has responsibility, which will take us to 2013 with an additional two years to complete projects and there is sufficient funding. The reason for this year's Supplementary Estimate is that while there was a very slow uptake in the early years of the programme, there has been an accelerated uptake in the year to date with €36 million spent under Leader this year and an additional €12 million will be spent before the end of the year. As I said in my opening remarks, up to 55% of that is recoupable from the European Union as appropriations-in-aid. I am very confident that many extremely good initiatives under the various pillars of Leader are being developed. Equally in the context of the review of agricultural policy, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Smith, and I met the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, and I met the Commissioner for Regional Policy, both of whom expressed great interest in how Ireland was dealing with the Leader programme. I am confident that type of programme, and probably an enhanced version of it, will continue to be part of agriculture and rural development policy. It would be a great shame if it were not. The short answer is that there is sufficient money.

Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a chur in iúl don Aire as ucht an Meastachán seo. Níl aon ceisteanna agam. Unfortunately, my constituency will not benefit too greatly from these Supplementary Estimates but I have seen at first hand the impact the programmes have in the relevant areas. I know from my colleagues that they are an integral part of life in rural Ireland, not only economically but also socially. Any support that can be given, particularly extra support when projects are struggling, is crucial. I welcome the Supplementary Estimates.

It might not affect the Deputy's constituency but, last Monday, Deputy Kennedy and I were in Balbriggan where the Fingal Leader company-----

The Minister has stolen my few words.

I will let the Deputy at it so.

The Minister has given way to Deputy Kennedy to speak about his constituency.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire agus gach éinne eile. Ba mhaith liom mo chomhghairdeas a dhéanamh leis an Aire as an obair dhian atá á dhéanamh aige. Tá cúrsaí eacnamaíochta rural Leader ag dul ar aghaidh go maith agus is rud an-mhaith í an airgead breise seo a bheith ar fáil. Mar a dúradh, bhíomar i mBaile Brigín ar an Luan -----

An lá cinniúnach sin.

Sea. An lá sin lainseáil an tAire 75 postanna nua do rural Fingal le All In CareRud maith é sin. Dúirt an tAire freisin go mbeidh postanna nua ag gabháil le hÚdarás na GaeltachtaBhíomar thiar i gConamara i rith an tsamhraidh ag díospóireacht faoin straitéís 20 bliain don Ghaeilge agus labhraíomar le daoine atá ag obair sna tionscail sin.

I congratulate the Minister. Rural Leader programmes do good work, by and large. Clearly there was a need for some tidying up, which the Minister and the Department have done, and we saw the benefits of it last Monday. We were in Balbriggan where there was a joint launch between a health care company, All In Care, which is creating 75 jobs and the Department and the rural Fingal Leader company. I welcome the report today. I wish the Minister and his officials every success for the future. Go raibh maith agat.

There is a target of 12,000 jobs under the programme, under axes 2, and I believe that target is achievable. It will make a difference. Later this afternoon I will discuss the programme with the president of the Irish Farmers Association, IFA, and his officials.

Go raibh maith agat, a Aire. Cuirim fáilte roimh na postanna nua a chruthaigh Údarás na Gaeltachta an bhliain seo caite. It is great to hear this. We will not delay the Minister given that it is a busy day for everybody, particularly the Government, but obviously 700 jobs is a great achievement. We have all been to the Gaeltacht areas and we were strongly engaged with the 20 year plan. We have had a chance to talk to many people. With regard to the 700 jobs and potential in that regard, energy is obviously a key area. I presume they are considering those types of jobs.

There are two particularly interesting projects on the islands, although they are not specifically Údarás projects. Comhar na nOileán is developing an INTERREG project with its counterpart in the Danish islands in the area of wind energy and so forth. It has made a great deal of progress in that area. Another INTERREG project, the small ferries project, is a collaboration between Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland on developing small passenger ferries plying between the Scottish mainland, Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland, Tory Island and Donegal. It is at early stages but there is certainly much potential there. Údaras is also very innovative in co-operating with other agencies. Despite the gloom today, there is much hope and opportunity there which I believe will be exploited.

We have had a good, solid and focused discussion with the Minister. I thank my colleagues, the Minister, Deputy Carey, and his officials, Ms Stack, Mr. Trainor and Mr. Donnelly.

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