Written Answers Nos. 116 - 125
116. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Peadar Tóibín den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cad é an líon daoine a bhfuil cumas feidhmeach acu sa Ghaeilge agus atá ag obair ina Roinn. [30066/16]
View answer117. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Peadar Tóibín den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil sprioc leagtha amach maidir le líon daoine a bhfuil cumas feidhmeach acu sa Ghaeilge a bheith ag obair sa Roinn de réir reachtaíochta agus an bhfuil an sprioc sin bainte amach go fóill. [30081/16]
View answer118. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Peadar Tóibín den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil beartas earcaíochta faoi leith i bhfeidhm chun aon chuóta maidir le líon daoine a bhfuil cumas feidhmeach acu sa Ghaeilge, má tá a leithéid ann, a bhaint amach. [30096/16]
View answerMolaim Ceisteanna Uimh. 116 go 118, cuimsitheach, a fhreagairt le chéile.
Níl sprioc ná cuóta sonrach leagtha síos ag mo Roinn maidir leis an líon daoine atá in ann feidhmiú i nGaeilge, agus níl aon fhoráil shonrach sa reachtaíocht maidir le sprioc den sórt sin. Cuireann 54 ball foirne i mo Roinn a gcuid dualgas laethúil i gcrích trí Ghaeilge. Tá baill foirne eile cumasach sa Ghaeilge freisin agus, go deimhin, i gcásanna áirithe is Gaeilgeoirí líofa iad. Anuas ar na poist i mo Roinn féin, tá sé ball foirne ar iasacht freisin in Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga faoi láthair.
Is é polasaí mo Roinne úsáid na Gaeilge a chur chun cinn go náisiúnta agus í a neartú sa Ghaeltacht chomh maith. Tá sé mar aidhm agam mar Aire a chinntiú go bhfuil líon dóthanach d’fhoireann mo Roinne lánábalta feidhmiú i nGaeilge. Chuige sin, tacaíonn mo Roinn leis an bhfoireann, ar bhonn leanúnach, chun feabhas a chur ar a gcuid scileanna Gaeilge ag gach leibhéal inniúlachta. Mar shampla, tugtar suntas ar leith i mo Roinnse don Teastas sa Ghaeilge Ghairmiúil, ar clár páirtaimseartha é a chuireann Gaelchultúr ar fáil chun cabhrú le fostaithe san earnáil phoiblí leibhéal níos airde seirbhíse a chur ar fáil do chustaiméirí trí Ghaeilge.
119. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cé na táillí atá beartaithe a ghearradh ar phaisinéirí sa gconradh nua don aersheirbhís go hÁrainn; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [30130/16]
View answerMar is eol don Teachta, tá próiseas tairisceana maidir le haersheirbhís d'Oileáin Árann ar siúl faoi láthair. Mar chuid den phróiseas sin, foilsíodh Iarratas ar Thairiscint inar leagadh amach na huastáillí a d’fhéadfaí a ghearradh faoin gconradh atá beartaithe. Ní féidir, dá bhrí sin, a rá ag an bpointe seo cén leibhéil táillí a ghearrfaidh an tairgeoir ar a mbronnfar an conradh.
120. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cén dul chun cinn atá déanta sna cainteanna idir a Roinn agus Comhairle Contae na Gaillimhe maidir le forbairt na cé ar Inis Oírr; cén uair atáthar ag súil leis go bhfógrófar an cháipéis iarrtha tairiscintí don togra seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [30131/16]
View answerChas oifigigh ó mo Roinn agus oifigigh ó Chomhairle Contae na Gaillimhe lena chéile tamall ó shin maidir leis an ábhar seo. Bhí an cruinniú sin tairbhiúil agus beidh na céimeanna cuí maidir leis an fhorbairt á dtógáil ag an gComhairle sa tréimhse romhainn amach. Bheifí ag súil go lorgófaí tairiscintí don obair thógála in 2017.
121. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when it is hoped to have a Leader contract signed to deliver the Leader programme in Connemara and the islands; the amount of money available for the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30132/16]
View answerFollowing a competitive process for the implementation of the LEADER 2014-2020 programme in Co. Galway, a Local Development Strategy submitted by Forum Connemara was selected by an independent Selection Committee. The selected strategy covers the municipal district of Connemara, including Inisbofin and the Aran Islands.
A Funding Agreement was issued to Forum Connemara on 6 October 2016 for the delivery of the LEADER programme in the area covered by its strategy. The amount allocated for this strategy is €4,540,033. I anticipate that this Agreement will be signed in the coming weeks and that the new LEADER Programme will be operational in Connemara and the islands from 1 November 2016.
The Deputy may also wish to be aware that an expression of interest process for the delivery of LEADER in the remaining rural areas of Galway was launched by my Department on 10 October 2016. A sum of €7.7 million will be available under this call.
122. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the maximum grant allowed for any project under the Leader programme 2014-2020; the maximum rate of grant available for projects; the restrictions that will apply to any matching State or local authority funding for the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30133/16]
View answerThe maximum grant allowed and the maximum rate of grant available for projects under the LEADER 2014-2020 Programme are set out in Table 1.
In addition, it is expected that funding of up to €500,000 will be permitted for certain categories of community projects that are not considered to involve State Aid. These categories include projects seeking to develop cultural and leisure facilities (such as community and recreational infrastructure), and projects seeking to enhance the attractiveness of small towns and villages, such as the upgrade of parks or river walks. Final confirmation of the funding limits applicable to these categories will shortly be made available to LEADER Local Action Groups.
Matching funding from public funded sources is permitted, provided it is not derived from another EU fund. The use of public matching funding is subject to a number of conditions which include the following:
- only applications submitted by community bodies are eligible;
- the overall level of public funding (including the EU contribution) does not exceed 95% of the total eligible project cost;
- there must be a minimum cash contribution (i.e. private matching funding element) of at least 5% of total eligible project costs; and
- the public bodies providing the matching funds must not be the project applicant or beneficiary.
Table 1 - Summary of Current Funding Ceilings and Support Rates
|
Type of Project |
Applicant |
Maximum Rate of Aid |
Maximum Funding |
|
Investment & other supports (including animation undertaken as part of the implementation of a project) |
Private |
Up to a maximum of 50% |
€200,000 |
|
Investment & other supports (including animation undertaken as part of the implementation of a project) |
Community |
Up to a maximum of 75% |
€200,000 |
|
Community under basic services targeted at hard to reach communities sub-theme |
Up to a maximum of 90% |
€200,000 |
|
|
Analysis and Development |
Private |
Up to a maximum of 75% |
€30,000 |
|
Community |
Up to a maximum of 90% |
||
|
Training |
Private or Community |
Up to a maximum of 100% |
€200,000 |
123. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason the budget for Irish classroom assistants has been reduced for the current academic year; if she will consider reinstating this budget to its previous levels; if 13 new schools will continue to be added to the scheme as initially indicated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30150/16]
View answerA grant of €508,989 in total was sanctioned to Muintearas Teo in respect of managing the Irish Language Assistants Scheme on behalf of my Department for the Donegal, Mayo, Galway and Meath Gaeltacht areas. The objective of the scheme is to reinforce Irish as the spoken language among young people in the Gaeltacht and the service is delivered for the most part through the network of Gaeltacht primary schools.
While no reduction in funding was made in respect of the work of the Language Assistants themselves, the administration element was not covered by the grant. However, I now understand that Údarás na Gaeltachta intends to carry out an in-depth audit of the functions, structures and funding of Muintearas Teo, which is a subsidiary company of Údarás. In that context, I have decided to reinstate the administration funding for the school year 2016/2017 and the necessary arrangements to that end will be processed by my Department. I have also asked my officials to examine again the applications made by new schools to participate in the scheme and to make a recommendation on the merits for inclusion in the scheme. I am satisfied in principle to provide funding for these schools, subject to each individual case being approved in consultation with the Department of Education and Skills.
124. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the changes that have been made to the provision of transport services for adults attending adult disability services commencing in 2016; if additional transport has been provided in respect of new adults commencing in the services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30119/16]
View answer125. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the assessment of need which is conducted in the analysis of the provision of transport services for adults attending adult disability services commencing in 2016; if any changes to the assessment of care needs have been implemented nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30120/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 124 and 125 together.
Transport of school-going children, including those with a disability, is the responsibility of the Department of Education and Skills. The provision of transport to adults with a disability attending HSE-funded day services is not a core health service, and the HSE endeavours to ensure that all service users access public transport, including rural transport services, if possible. In recognition of the challenges which some service users experience in relation to accessible transport, some transport is provided by disability service providers on a case by case basis as resources allow. Service providers are continuously reviewing their transport arrangements to ensure that they are used as effectively and equitably as possible within available resources, and will continue to keep the matter under review.
