Wednesday, 28 Nov 2012

Written Answers Nos. 25-33

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Questions (25, 26)

Sandra McLellan

Question:

25. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide in tabular form, the number of staff in his Department, or in bodies which fall under the remit of his Department, whose annual remuneration including salary, pension and benefits at 31 December 2011 fell into bands of €400,000 and above, between €300,000 to €399,999, between €200,000 to €299,999 and between €150,000 to €199,000; and if he will provide a breakdown of the positions held by the staff in the relevant pay brackets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53054/12]

Brian Stanley

Question:

26. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he has made any contacts requesting staff whose annual salary is in excess of €200,000 in his Department or in any body under the remit of his Department, to waive 15% of their salary or such amount in excess of €200,000 whichever is the lesser; if he has, the date on which he first made this contact; the number of staff whose annual salaries were in excess of €200,000 at that date; the number of staff who acquiesced to the request for the waiver; the number of staff who refused the request for the waiver and the number of staff who have not responded to the request for the waiver; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53055/12]

Written answers

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 26 together.

The table below sets out the number of staff in my Department and in bodies within my Department's ambit, as well as the associated grades, in the various pay brackets specified.

Pay bracket €	No of staff	Grade of staff
€400,000 and above	-	N/A
€300,000 to €399,999	-	N/A
€200,000 to €299,999	-	N/A
€150,000 to €199,000	1	Secretary General

As is clear from the table, no staff member of my Department or of bodies within its ambit was in receipt of annual remuneration at a level in excess of €200,000 at 31 December 2011. This remains the case.

Departmental Funding

Questions (27, 31)

Timmy Dooley

Question:

27. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he has reviewed funding of Ballet Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53006/12]

John McGuinness

Question:

31. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the discussions he has had with Ballet Ireland on its future development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53027/12]

Written answers

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 31 together.

Ballet Ireland is a professional ballet company whose activities are primarily centred on the production and touring of classical ballet works. It is also involved in school initiatives, an annual summer school, workshops and master classes. Insofar as supports from my Department or agencies under its aegis are concerned, the company is funded by the Arts Council and has also received some support from Culture Ireland in respect of touring activities abroad. As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is primarily devolved to the Arts Council. The Council is independent in its day-to-day operations, including in relation to its funding decisions. The question of a review of funding for this company does not, therefore, fall within my remit.

Comhairle Aireachta Thuaidh-Theas

Questions (28, 53, 143)

Martin Ferris

Question:

28. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Martin Ferris den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cé na himpleachtaí a mheasann an Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta a bheidh mar thoradh ar an tsamhail nua maoinithe atá curtha os comhair na Comhairle Aireachta Thuaidh-Theas do líon agus do chaighdeán na seirbhísí do phobal na Gaeilge agus do chúrsaí fostaíochta na n-eagras bunmhaoinithe reatha; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [52982/12]

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

53. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Jonathan O'Brien den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil anailís costas/tairbhe déanta ar an tsamhail nua maoinithe atá á moladh ag Foras na Gaeilge d’earnáil dheonach na Gaeilge agus, má tá, cén toradh agus céard iad na moltaí a d’eascair as an anailís sin; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [52983/12]

Catherine Murphy

Question:

143. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Murphy den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an míneoidh sé an múnla nua maoinithe atá molta ag Foras na Gaeilge d’earnáil dheonach na Gaeilge, agus an gcuirfidh sé eolas ar fáil faoin taighde atá taobh thiar de, agus cén t-amscála a bhainfeadh lena chur i bhfeidhm [53185/12]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh. 28, 53 agus 143 le chéile.

Is é an staid reatha ar athbhreithniú Fhoras na Gaeilge ar a gcuid eagraíochtaí bunmhaoinithe ná gur chuir Foras na Gaeilge cás gnó lena moltaí críochnúla, atá aontaithe ag an mbord, chuig na Ranna urraíochta i mí Dheireadh Fómhair 2012. Tá na moltaí sin á mbreithniú ag mo Roinn agus ag an Roinn Cultúir, Ealaíon agus Fóillíochta ó thuaidh faoi láthair. Táthar ag súil go gcuirfear páipéar fúthu os comhair na Comhairle Aireachta Thuaidh Theas ag an gcéad chruinniú eile ar an 12 Nollaig 2012.

Mar ghníomhaireacht den chomhlacht forfheidhmithe thuaidh theas, An Foras Teanga, tá Foras na Gaeilge freagrach don Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh Theas agus urraithe ag mo Roinn féin agus ag an Roinn Cultúir, Ealaíon agus Fóillíochta ó thuaidh.

Cuireadh tús leis an athbhreithniú in 2008 chun an luach is fearr ar airgead a fháil ó na heagraíochtaí bunmhaoinithe. Sa bhliain sin, is amhlaidh go raibh Foras na Gaeilge ag cur 40% dá bhuiséad, is é sin €8m, ar fáil do 19 n-eagraíocht bhunmhaoinithe. Bhí os cionn 50% den bhunmhaoiniú sin á chaitheamh ag na heagraíochtaí ar thuarastail amháin.

Sa chomhthéacs sin, rinne bord Fhoras na Gaeilge cinneadh athbhreithniú seachtrach a dhéanamh ar an mbunmhaoiniú agus thacaigh an Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh Theas leis an gcinneadh sin. Cuireadh an t-athbhreithniú seachtrach i gcrích le linn 2009 agus léirigh na torthaí an mhí-éifeacht a bhaineann le seirbhísí a sheachadadh trí 19 eagraíocht do phobal na Gaeilge.

Ó shin i leith, tá mionscagadh agus plé cuimsitheach déanta ar mhúnlaí eile a d'fhéadfaí a chur ar bun in ionad an chórais bhunmhaoinithe. Rinneadh é sin i gcomhairle leis an earnáil bhunmhaoinithe agus le páirtithe leasmhara eile. Bhí próiseas comhairliúcháin poiblí i gceist fosta, ó thuaidh agus ó dheas, agus pléadh an dul chun cinn ag cruinnithe den Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh-Theas. San idirlinn, leanadh le bunmhaoiniú eatramhach a chur ar fáil don 19 eagraíocht - socrú atá le bheith i bhfeidhm go dtí 30 Meitheamh 2013.

Tuigfidh na Teachtaí go bhfuil tuilleadh brú tagtha ar an Státchiste idir an dá linn. Sa chomhthéacs sin, tuigtear dom go mbeidh Foras na Gaeilge ag cur beagnach 37%, is é sin €6.5m, ar fáil do na heagraíochtaí bunmhaoinithe i mbliana. As an mbuiséad sin, tuigtear dom go mbeidh 77% á chaitheamh ag na heagraíochtaí bunmhaoinithe ar chostais riaracháin, rud a fhágann nach mbeidh ach 23% den bhuiséad á chaitheamh ar sheirbhísí do phobal na Gaeilge.

Maidir leis na nithe sonracha atá ardaithe sna ceisteanna, tuigfidh na Teachtaí nach mbeadh sé cuí domsa aon eolas breise a thabhairt sa chás seo go dtí go mbeidh plé déanta ar mholtaí críochnúla Fhoras na Gaeilge agus cinneadh tógtha ina leith ag an gComhairle Aireachta Thuaidh Theas.

Arts Plan

Questions (29, 49)

John McGuinness

Question:

29. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to develop and encourage philanthropic support of the arts here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53017/12]

Mick Wallace

Question:

49. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress that has been made to date in encouraging philanthropic initiatives for the arts; his plans to protect the arts in Budget 2013 in the event that he does not succeed in raising €10 million from the private sector; if his Department will meet the shortfall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52969/12]

Written answers

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 49 together.

The Government's policy on the arts is to promote and strengthen the arts in all its forms, to increase access to and participation in the arts, and to make the arts an integral and valued part of our national life. I am continuing to work towards this goal with my Department and the agencies within its remit, and I remain committed to securing the best possible level of public funding for the arts sector.

The Government appreciates the importance of the arts, culture and the creative industries to both our society and to our economy. I am fully aware of the challenges for those involved in the arts and culture sectors and of the tremendous work they are doing. I am committed to supporting the essential elements of the arts and culture sectors, within the available financial resources and in the light of the evolving budgetary and Estimates processes.

I was pleased to launch the Philanthropy Leverage Initiative in May 2012. This initiative, established with funding of €230,000 for 2012, is designed to encourage philanthropic sponsorship and endowment funding of the arts from private sources. The scheme aims to promote support for the arts from private sources and to unlock 2 to 5 times the funding put up by the taxpayer. The Philanthropy Leverage Initiative has provided an incentive to arts organisations to proactively seek new and multi-annual relationships with sponsors which deliver private sector financial support, thereby increasing overall funding available to the arts. Applications for the initiative were made across projects of varying scale, geography and art forms. The Leverage Initiative will run in parallel with a second initiative – the Philanthropy Capacity Building Initiative – which is operated by the Arts Council.

A conference on Philanthropy and the Arts, which I hosted recently at Smock Alley Theatre, was a huge success and I will follow up on that initiative again next year.

Údarás na Gaeltachta Funding

Questions (30)

Michael Colreavy

Question:

30. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Michael Colreavy den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an dtabharfaidh sé míniú ar na critéir a d’úsáid sé chun baill Bhord nua Údarás na Gaeltachta a roghnú, ar chuir an tAire critéir ar nós taithí i bpleanáil teanga, i bhfiontar, agus i bhforbairt pobail san áireamh, ar chuir sé san áireamh an raibh buntáiste ag baint le duine a bheith ina chónaí nó ina cónaí sa Ghaeltacht, cén fáth nach bhfuil, i gcomhréir leis an gcleachtas Eorpach is fearr, 40% ar a laghad de Bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta ina mná, an bhfuil, ina thuairim, an bord nua ionadaíoch do phobail na Gaeltachta i gcoitinne, agus cé na bearta a thóg sé chun a chinntiú go raibh sé ionadaíoch, agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina leith. [52978/12]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

I gcomhréir le dea-chleachtas an Rialtáis deiseanna a chur ar fáil do dhaoine ar suim leo feidhmiú ar bhoird Stáit, d’fhógair mo Roinn ar 30 Iúil 2012 go raibh léirithe spéise á lorg ó dhaoine a raibh suim acu a bheith ceaptha ar bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta. Chuige sin, iarradh orthu iarratais a chur chuig an tSeirbhís um Cheapacháin Phoiblí ag www.publicjobs.ie.

Fuarthas 68 léirithe spéise mar fhreagra ar an bhfógra seo, 55 díobh ó fhir agus an 13 eile ó mhná. Ní miste dom a mhíniú don Teachta nach próiseas iomaíoch a bhí i gceist agus gur cuireadh in iúl go sonrach san fhógra poiblí go mbeadh an cinneadh deiridh maidir leis na ceapacháin ag an Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta. Chun an próiseas seo a éascú, tugadh cuireadh do dhaoine sonraí a thabhairt maidir lena gcuid fostaíochta agus a gcuid cáilíochtaí acadúla chomh maith le léargas a thabhairt maidir lena gcumas sna hinniúlachtaí seo a leanas:

- Taithí ar bhainistiú gnó/bhainistiú airgeadais/iniúchadh airgeadais

- Taithí ar rialachas corparáideach

- Taithí ar bhainistiú acmhainní daonna agus ar fhorbairt straitéisí eagraíochtúla

- Taithí ar bhainistiú agus ar phleanáil straitéiseach

- Taithí ar an earnáil phoiblí/phríobháideach

- Taithí ar oibriú mar chuid d'fhoireann nó mar chomhalta boird

- Taithí ar fhorbairt fiontraíochta agus cruthú fostaíochta

- Taithí ar chur chun cinn na Gaeilge

- Taithí ar an bpleanáil teanga

- Taithí ar an bhforbairt pobail

- Taithí ar chur chun cinn na n-ealaíon

- Cumas Gaeilge.

Tá réimse leathan taithí, scileanna agus cáilíochtaí ag na comhaltaí atá ceaptha ar an mbord agus tá ionadaíocht ar an mbord ó gach contae a bhfuil ceantar Gaeltachta ina dhlínse, rud a chinntíonn go bhfuil an bord nua ionadaíoch do phobal na Gaeltachta i gcoitinne.

As an seachtar comhalta a cheap mise ar an mbord, tá beirt bhan agus tá duine acu siúd ceaptha mar chathaoirleach, an chéad uair riamh gur tharla a leithéid ó bunaíodh Údarás na Gaeltachta in 1980. Níor cuireadh aon ainmniúchán ó mhná chugam ón gcúig chomhairle contae a bhí i dteideal ainmniúcháin a dhéanamh.

Creidimse go gcuirfidh na socruithe atá déanta ar chumas Údarás na Gaeltachta feidhmiú go héifeachtach agus go straitéiseach sna blianta amach romhainn chun leas teangeolaíoch, sóisialta, cultúrtha agus eacnamaíoch phobal na Gaeltachta a threisiú i gcomhréir lena chuid feidhmeanna reachtúla.

Question No. 31 answered with Question No. 27.

Údarás na Gaeltachta Funding

Questions (32, 51)

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Question:

32. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ar an gcaidreamh idir an IDA agus Údarás na Gaeltachta, chun míniú a thabhairt ar an tslí ina gcomhoibríonn siad chun infheistíocht eachtrannach dhíreach a mhealladh isteach sa Ghaeltacht agus chun an líon cuairteanna atá tugtha ag infheisteoirí eachtrannacha féideartha ar an nGaeltacht le cúig bliana anuas a chur in iúl. [52973/12]

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

51. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil sé sásta cúraim fiontraíochta a fhágáil ag Údarás na Gaeltachta;; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [53001/12]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh. 32 agus 51 le chéile.

Thóg an Rialtas cinneadh in 2011 go gcoinneodh Údarás na Gaeltachta a chuid feidhmeanna, lena n-áirítear an fheidhm fiontraíochta agus go dtabharfaí feidhm bhreise dó maidir le cur i bhfeidhm na Straitéise 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010-2030 sa Ghaeltacht. Tugadh feidhm reachtúil don chinneadh seo in Acht na Gaeltachta 2012.

Ina theannta sin, thóg an Rialtas cinneadh in 2011 go bhforbrófaí meicníocht chun an comhoibriú idir Údarás na Gaeltachta, Fiontraíocht Éireann agus an tÚdarás Forbartha Tionscail a threisiú tuilleadh, go háirithe i gcás tograí suntasacha Gaeltachta a bhfuil poitéinseal ard acu. Is sampla maith den chomhoibriú sin an infheistíocht shuntasach a d’fhógair an tÚdarás Forbartha Tionscail i gcuideachta i nGaeltacht na Gaillimhe níos túisce i mbliana.

Tuigtear dom nach gcoinníonn Údarás na Gaeltachta taifead ar leith de líon na gcuairteanna suímh a dhéantar gach bliain nó ní dhéantar aon idirdhealú idir na cuairteanna suímh a ghin an tÚdarás féin i gcomparáid le cinn a tháinig tríd an Údarás Forbartha Tionscail. Tá sé curtha in iúl ag an Údarás, áfach, go bhfuair a rannóg fiontraíochta agus fostaíochta thart ar 150 fiosrúchán le cúig bliana anuas agus go ndearnadh thart ar 60 cuairt suímh san iomlán sa tréimhse chéanna. Níl fiosrúcháin sna réigiúin maidir le tograí Gaeltacht-lonnaithe san áireamh sna figiúirí sin.

National Archives

Questions (33)

Michael McGrath

Question:

33. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his future plans for the National Archives; if there are any development projects to be undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53015/12]

Written answers

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

My Department is working with the Office of Public Works and the National Archives on a planned project for a reconfiguration of the National Archives’ warehouse to address the on-site storage capacity there. The current governance model in the National Archives is to be retained as is the National Archives Advisory Council albeit with a reduced membership operating pro bono .

Under the public sector Reform Agenda the National Archives of Ireland will continue to operate, as currently, with a statutorily independent Director, within the ambit of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The National Archives Act 1986 will be adjusted in accordance with the advice of the National Archives Advisory Council and the Director. The current provision by the Department of shared corporate support services (such as HR, Finance, IT and procurement advice) to the National Archives will continue.