Vol. 567 No. 5
154 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if all the benefits available to those living in Gaeltacht islands are now available to those living on non- Gaeltacht islands; and if not, the reason therefor. [14228/03]
All grants available from my Department for the islands, both Gaeltacht and non-Gaeltacht, are listed on pages 60 to 84 of my Department's section 16 reference book under the Freedom of Information Act 1997, a copy of which will be forwarded to the Deputy.
In relation to the introduction of additional grant schemes for islanders to ensure that non-Gaeltacht islanders have access to the same schemes as Gaeltacht islanders, the Deputy should be aware that many of the schemes available to Gaeltacht islanders, such as the scheme of grants under the Gaeltacht Housing Acts, scéim labhairt na Gaeilge, the Irish speaking scheme, and scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge, the Irish language learners scheme, have, as their objective, the preservation and promotion of the Irish language. Consequently, it is a condition of these schemes that Irish must be the principal language of the applicant household.
The Deputy will be aware that housing grants for non-Gaeltacht islands are dealt with by the Department of the Environment and Local Government and that the new house grant in non-Gaeltacht areas, both on the mainland and on the islands, is no longer available. I have also recently been informed by that Department that it currently has no plans to extend the house improvement grant scheme, currently administered by my Department on Gaeltacht islands, to non-Gaeltacht islands. Údarás na Gaeltachta recently introduced a new scheme for the development of enterprise on Gaeltacht islands and preparation for the introduction of a similar scheme for the non-Gaeltacht islands are well advanced.
155 D'fhiafraigh Mr. Deenihan den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil sé sásta cabhair airgid a thabhairt do mhuintir an Daingin chun iaroifig an údaráis sa Daingean a cheannach agus a choimeád i seilbh an phobail. [14496/03]
Níl aon scéim ag mo Roinnse chun cúnamh a thabhairt dfhonn iaroifig an údaráis sa Daingean a cheannach.
Tuigim ó Údarás na Gaeltachta gur socraíodh, ag cruinniú de bhord na heagraíochta ar 2 Bealtaine go ndéanfar grinnstaidéar, i gcomhar leis na heagrais Stáit a bhfuil baint acu leis an scéal, ar thábhacht an fhoirgnimh i dtéarmaí ailtireachta agus staire de. Tá sé i gceist chomh maith breathnú ar na bealaí go bhféadfaí an ghné sin den fhoirgneamh a chaomhnú i gcás aon athrú úinéireachta.
Tá sé i gceist ag an údarás freisin an deis a thabhairt deagrais áitiúla a bhfuil spéis léirithe acu san fhoirgneamh mar ionad dá gcuid gníomhaíochta: iomlánú a dhéanamh ar a gcuid pleananna; agus a gcuid foinsí maoinithe ina leith a bheachtú.
