Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2004
460 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will give details of all State of semi-State agencies and boards under the aegis of his Department as of 1 January 1994; the number of State or semi-State agencies and boards under the aegis of his Department as of 1 January 2004; the date of the establishment of such agencies and boards in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20003/04]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that my Department was established in June 2002. The details of all agencies, bodies and boards under the aegis of my Department as of June 2004 is as follows. The Western Development Commission, WDC, established in 1999, promotes, fosters and encourages economic and social development in the western region, defined as the seven western counties of Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway and Clare.
Area Development Management, ADM, Limited, established in 1992, is an intermediary company, established by the Government in agreement with the European Commission, to promote social inclusion, reconciliation and equality and to counter disadvantage through local social and economic development. ADM manages a number of programmes on behalf of my Department, including the local development social inclusion programme, Peace II programme and the RAPID programme.
The Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests for Ireland, established in 1844, are mandated under the Charities Acts 1961 and 1973 to provide services to trustees of charities and to carry out the intentions of persons making donations and bequests to charities.
An Coimisiún Logainmneacha, the Placenames Commission, established in 1946, advises on the research of the placenames of Ireland and on providing authoritative Irish forms of those names for official and public use. Bord na Leabhar Gaeilge, established in 1952, administers schemes to assist publishers and authors to publish material of interest in the Irish language. The dormant accounts fund disbursements board, established in 2002, is charged with overseeing a scheme for the disbursement of dormant funds for community and societal benefit.
An Foras Teanga is a cross-Border implementation body established under the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999, comprising two agencies — Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster-Scots Agency — Tha Boord o Ulstèr-Scotch. Foras na Gaeilge has the objective of promoting the Irish language on an all-island basis. As well as taking over the functions of the former Bord na Gaeilge, a wide range of additional functions were given to the agency so as to add to its effectiveness in the promotion of Irish — for example, in the area of education, dictionaries and terminology. Tha Boord o Ulstèr-Scotch has responsibility for the promotion of greater awareness and the use of Ullans and of Ulster-Scots cultural issues, both within Northern Ireland and throughout the island.
The national advisory committee on drugs, NACD, established in 2000, advises the Government in relation to the prevalence, prevention, treatment and consequences of problem drug use in Ireland based on analysis of research, findings and information available to it. The national drugs strategy team, NDST, established in 1996 is a cross-departmental team from Departments and agencies involved in the drugs field. It also includes representatives from the community and voluntary sectors. Its purpose is to oversee the work of the local and regional drugs task forces, make recommendations on issues arising, and report on progress in this area.
Údarás na Gaeltachta, established in 1979, is a regional development agency that combines an economic development role — that of creating sustainable jobs and attracting investment to the Gaeltacht regions — with community, cultural and language-development activities, working in partnership with local communities and organisations. Waterways Ireland is a cross-Border implementation body established under the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999. Waterways Ireland's primary function is the management, maintenance and development, principally for recreation purposes, of the majority of the inland navigable waterway system throughout the island. Arramara Teoranta, established in 1947 and based in the Gaeltacht, is involved in the drying and milling of seaweed.
