Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 December 2016
174. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will invest €2.5 million in Foras na Gaeilge to implement the first part of the investment plan for Gaeilge, which was agreed upon by 80 Gaeilge and Gaeltacht groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38930/16]
View answerAs I indicated in my response to Parliamentary Question No 372 on 22 November 2016 in regard to the 2017 Estimate provisions, almost €60m has been provided in the Estimates for the Irish language, Gaeltacht and Islands programme, including funding for An Foras Teanga.
The budget for Foras na Gaeilge is subject to approval by the North South Ministerial Council, given its status as an agency of An Foras Teanga, which is a North South Implementation Body co-funded with the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.
An indicative provision of €13.239m has been provided within my Department’s Vote for An Foras Teanga in 2017. In regard to funding for specific programmes of work, the dispersal of the budget will be an operational matter for Foras na Gaeilge within the framework of the NSMC-approved business plan and budget.
The investment plan submitted by Conradh na Gaeilge on behalf of the Irish language and Gaeltacht groups is very ambitious in seeking additional funding in the region of €5m in 2017 and €30m over the period 2018-2019. However, the Deputy can rest assured that I will continue, insofar as I can, to seek additional funding for the Irish language, within the overall budgetary resources available to the Government.
