Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 September 2014
1746. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the 2015 Údarás na Gaeltachta capital budget will be returned to €12 million and if the Foras na Gaeilge budget will be protected (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34039/14]
View answerI wish to refer the Deputy to previous replies to a number of Parliamentary Questions in relation to these matters. As the Deputy is aware, funding for the various Departments, including my own, are decided through the Budgetary and Estimates process annually. With regard to the capital budget for Údarás na Gaeltachta, I wish to again reiterate that, as Minister of State with responsibility for the Gaeltacht, I very much appreciate the importance of job creation in helping to retain sustainable communities in Gaeltacht areas. In that context, I wish to again acknowledge the very important enterprise and employment function of Údarás na Gaeltachta as the regional economic agency for the Gaeltacht.
Údarás na Gaeltachta's end of year statement for 2013 indicated that the rate of job losses in its client companies had reached a record low. This was very welcome news indeed. However, while the level of job losses has stabilised, I am very cognisant of the ongoing difficult challenge in creating a sufficient number of new jobs to maintain, and indeed increase, employment levels in the Gaeltacht.
I am, of course, aware of Údarás na Gaeltachta's proposal to increase its capital budget over time from the present level of €5.687m to €12m per annum. I am also very aware and supportive of the case advanced by the organisation that such an increase in funding would enable it to create an additional 300 jobs per annum.
As the Deputy is aware, it was announced as part of Budget 2014 that comprehensive reviews of both current and capital expenditure would be undertaken by all Government Departments during 2014. These reviews underpin the Government's multi-annual budgetary framework and are conducted periodically to re-set Departmental expenditure ceilings in line with emerging Government priorities. I understand that the reviews were completed and will be considered by Government with a view to underpinning expenditure ceilings for 2015 and beyond, as well as clarifying policy options and informing prioritisation decisions arising from the expenditure ceilings. Clearly, the capital allocation for Údarás na Gaeltachta for 2015 will be informed by the outcome of those reviews and within the framework of the Budgetary and Estimates processes later this year.
Foras na Gaeilge is one of the agencies of An Foras Teanga, the North South Language Body, and its budget must accordingly be approved by the North South Ministerial Council. Foras na Gaeilge is co-financed on the basis of 75% from my Department and 25% from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland. In addition, my Department provides certain additional ringfenced funding for Foras na Gaeilge in relation to Clár na Leabhar Gaeilge and Colmcille.
While my Department will continue to provide funding for An Foras Teanga, subject to the normal budgetary processes, I should point out that the Public Expenditure/Finance Departments in both jurisdictions have already agreed that minimum efficiency savings of 4% must be achieved by all North South Implementation Bodies in 2015.
