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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 17 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 4

Written Answers. - Gaeltacht Funding.

Michael Ring

Ceist:

187 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the meetings she attended on 11 May 2001 in north Mayo; the proposals she has for Erris; the amount of funding there is for the proposals and its source; when the funding will be allocated; if it is from the allocation of funding for 2001 or 2002; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14399/01]

I attended meetings with the following on 11 May while on an official visit to Erris, County Mayo: Comharchumann Ionad Deirbhile Teoranta; Selc Éire Teoranta; Glancré Teoranta; Tasc Fórsa Béal a Mhuiread; and Ex-employees of Warners Teoranta.

The report of the Belmullet Task Force has made recommendations regarding employment, infrastructure, training and education, tourism and language needs for the Erris region, both Gaeltacht and non-Gaeltacht. Allowing for inflation total funding of approximately £60 million will be required to implement these recommendations. Of this amount, about £25 million will be provided from the existing funding commitments of various bodies leaving the necessity for special funding of about £35 million which over a six-year period amounts to about £5.8 million per annum.

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív, the Minister of State with responsibility for rural development, along with me as Minister of State with responsibility for the Gaeltacht, the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Fahey, and Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Moffatt, have been asked to co-ordinate efforts to source the extra funding of £35 million as speedily as possible. I, along with my colleagues, am fully committed to the full implementation of the report's recommendations over a six year period and we are confident this will be achieved. My involvement will be with the recommendations relating to the Gaeltacht in so far as they impact on my Department and Údarás na Gaeltachta and the Minister of State, Deputy Ó Cuív will have the general co-ordinating role otherwise.
With regard to the recommendations of the report relating to my Department and Údarás na Gaeltachta the following is the position: An tÚdarás does not break down its annual expenditure budget by region and accordingly it is not possible to indicate the funds that will be expended on projects in the Erris area in 2001 and 2002; and as part of the measures proposed by an tÚdarás in the short-term a provision of £1 million has been approved for the refurbishment of part of the premises previously occupied by Warners, Éire, Teoranta as an advance telecommunications unit.
The following expenditure has been sanctioned to date in 2001 under improvement schemes in the Gaeltacht for the Erris Gaeltacht:
Strategic Gaeltacht RoadsR313 Belmullet-Blacksod: £0.25 million
L1203 (R314) Belmullet-Carratigue: £0.25 million
It is anticipated that for the duration of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 some £0.5 million per year will be spent by my Department in respect of the improvement of these strategic roads.
Accommodation Roads-Bog Roads-Village Renewal Projects: £88,750.
It is anticipated that the same level of funding approximately will be available in 2002 and in subsequent years.
Strategic Gaeltacht PiersMy Department, in consultation with Mayo County Council and the other relevant County Councils, is currently in the process of identifying a number of strategic Gaeltacht piers which it is hoped will be developed during the duration of the National Development Plan 2000-2006. In this context consultants have been appointed by Mayo County Council to undertake feasibility studies, etc., on Blacksod and Porturlin piers. When the results of these feasibility studies are available the question of the provision of funding for the development of these piers will be considered further.
Small PiersA programme of minor marine works to small piers in Gaeltacht areas – including piers in the Iorras area – which commenced in 1998, in partnership with the relevant local authorities, will continue this year and in subsequent years.
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