Vol. 611 No. 2
47 D'fhiafraigh Mr. McGinley den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta i bhfianaise a raibh le rá ag feidhmeannaigh Údarás na Gaeltachta an tseachtain seo caite nuair a d’fhreastail siad ar an gCoiste um Chuntais Phoiblí, cad iad na bearta atá á nglacadh chun a chinntiú nach mbeidh deontais á gceadú do thionscnamh taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht agus go mbeidh soiléireacht iomlán i bhfeidhm nuair a bhíonn maoin an Údaráis ar díol. [36961/05]
Ar an gcéad dul síos, ní mór dom a mheabhrú don Teachta go bhfuil cumhacht reachtúil ag bord Údarás na Gaeltachta maidir le deontais a cheadú agus maoin a dhíol, laistigh den chreatlach reachtúil faoina bhfeidhmíonn sé agus i gcomhréir le treoirlínte agus rialacháin náisiúnta agus Eorpacha. Is í an aidhm atá ag mo Roinnse chomh fada agus a bhaineann sé le cásanna den chineál seo ná a chinntiú go bhfuil na prionsabail agus na treoracha cuí maidir le rialú corparáideach curtha i bhfeidhm agus á leanúint go sásúil.
Ag tagairt don cheist shonrach a d'ardaigh an Teachta maidir leis na céimeanna atá á nglacadh chun a chinntiú nach mbeidh deontais á gceadú do thionscnaimh taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht, tá sé curtha in iúl dom ag an Údarás go bhfuil céimeanna cuí tógtha chun a mhacasamhail d'atarlú a sheachaint. I measc na gcéimeanna sin, áirítear meamram inmheánach a eisíodh i 2002 a threisigh tábhacht na ceiste i gcoitinne agus a leag síos treoracha chun déileáil le cásanna amhrasacha; sonraí na mbailte fearainn agus na mbóithre áitiúla a bheith ar fáil ar léarscáileanna go hinmheánach, chomh maith le cóipeanna d'fhóiliónna a bheith ar fáil ar líne agus tríd an rannóg dlí; agus uasghrádú ar lámhleabhar na foirne maidir le riaradh deontas.
Maidir le soiléireacht iomlán a bheith i bhfeidhm nuair a bhíonn maoin an Údaráis ar díol, tá béim nach beag curtha ag mo Roinn ar an méid sin. Tá tagairt déanta ag an Ard-Reachtaire Cuntas agus Ciste, ina fhorlíonadh lena thuarascáil i dtaca le cuntas iniúchta an Údaráis don bhliain 2004, do litir den 21 Iúil 2004 ó mo Roinn chuig an Údarás. Tá mé sásta a chur in iúl go raibh comhphlé tairbheach idir mo Roinn agus an tÚdarás ar ghnéithe éagsúla de rialú corparáideach thar thréimhse agus go bhfuil uasdátú déanta ar threoirlínte an Údaráis dá réir.
Ar ndóigh, mar atá treisithe i gcomhfhreagras ón Údarás féin, tá sé mar aidhm ag an eagraíocht, idir bhord agus fheidhmeannas, cloí le scoth-chleachtais chomhaimseartha i gcónaí, de réir mar a bhíonn na cleachtais sin ag forbairt go náisiúnta agus go hidirnáisiúnta. Chuige sin, leanfaidh an tÚdarás den nós athbhreithniú rialta a dhéanamh ar a chleachtais i gcomhar le agus faoi threoir ó mo Roinnse, de réir mar is cuí.
Tá mé buíoch den Aire as an fhreagra sin. An n-aontódh an tAire liom gur eagraíocht an-tábhachtach é Údarás na Gaeltachta chomh fada agus a bhaineann sé le muintir na Gaeltachta agus na Gaeilge? Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach, cosúil le heagras Stáit ar bith a bhíonn ag plé le hairgead poiblí, cé acu an bhfuil sé ag tabhairt amach deontas nó ag díol maoine, nach mbeadh amhras ar dhuine ar bith nó orainne sa Teach seo fán dóigh a dtéann sé fána ghnóithe. De réir cosúlachta, bhí deacrachtaí ag an Údarás san am a chuaigh thart. De réir a ndúirt an tAire ansin, níor cloíodh leis na rialalacha corparáideacha chomh daingean agus ba chóir. An bhfuil an tAire sásta anois cad é a chothaigh na deacrachtaí sin? An bhfuil sé sásta nach n-éireoidh deacrachtaí ar bith mar sin feasta, ar mhaithe leis an Údarás féin agus an Ghaeltacht?
Sílim féin go bhfuil feabhas leanúnach á chur ag an Údarás ar an gcaoi a ndéanann sé a chuid gnóithe. Tá go leor ama infheistithe ag an Údarás féin agus ag feidhmeannaigh de chuid mo Ranna ag plé leis an Údarás, ní amháin, go deimhin, leis an Údarás ach leis na heagraíochtaí ar fad atá faoi chúram na Ranna, le déanamh cinnte go bhfuil na caighdeáin is fearr á sroichint ó thaobh rialaithe corparáidigh de. Ní bheinn chomh dána agus a rá nachn-éireoidh fadhb go deo aríst. Mar a dúirt an fear, tá súil agam nach n-éireoidh, ach cá bhfios, mar is daoine daonna iad ag deireadh an lae atá i mbun eagraíochta ar bith? Sílim féin, áfach, chomh fada agus is féidir go praiticiúil, go bhfuil córais thar a bheith éifeachtacha curtha in áit ag an Údarás.
Thar aon rud éile, tá dhá rud tábhachtach. I gcás an ruda a raibh caint air, is dearmad bona fide a bhí ann. B’fhéidir go mba cheart go mbeadh córas ní b’fhearr ann ag an am, ach is é dearmad a bhí ann. An dara rud ná, níl duine ar bith ar an saol nach ndéanann dearmad, ach má dhéantar dearmad, cad a dhéantar le déanamh cinnte nach ndéanfar an dearmad céanna aríst? Sílim go bhfuil an tÚdarás tar éis foghlaim ón ndearmad sin. Is é an tuiscint atá agam ar an scéal ná gur beag an baol atá ann ar chor ar bith go bhféadfadh a leithéid de rud éirí aríst.
Chomh fada agus a bhaineann sé le díol maoine, is ceist é seo a éireoidh aríst agus aríst eile mar go bhfuil an tÚdarás ag díol na maoine atá aige i ngach ceantar Gaeltachta le cúpla bliain, agus dírím isteach ar chás amháin a bhfuil an tAire agus muid uilig eolach air, nuair a chaill sé breis agus €300,000 ar scéim amháin a raibh díol maoine i gceist. Bíonn sé chomh gnóitheach sin ag díol a chuid mhaoine go gcaithfear gach iarracht a dhéanamh go bhfaigheadh sé an luach is airde air. Bíonn muintir na Gaeltachta ag brath ar an airgead sin. Beidh fostaíocht agus cóiríocht eile á gcur ar fáil.
Aontaím go hiomlán leis an Teachta. Mar is eol dó, tá an tÚdarás ag déanamh athchúrsála ar mhaoin, is é sin, nuair a dhíolann an tÚdarás maoin, fanann an t-airgead leis, agus déanann sé é a athinfheistiú sa nGaeltacht. Tá an polasaí sin tar éis an-tairbhe a dhéanamh ó thaobh bhreis infheistíochta de sa nGaeltacht. Chomh maith leis sin, an té a cheannaíonn maoin nó monarcha de chuid an Údaráis, is mó seans i bhfad go bhfanfaidh sé, mar tá sé tar éis infheistíocht i bhfad níos mó a dhéanamh.
Tá feabhas curtha ag an Údarás ar a gcaoi a ndéanann sé an jab áirithe sin. Tá an ceart ag an Teachta go bhfuil dualgas ar an Údarás, taobh istigh de na haidhmeanna atá aige, an luach is fearr a fháil ar mhaoin ar bith a dhíoltar. Ar ndóigh, caithfidh sé sin a bheith i gcomhréir leis an sprioc atá ag an Údarás fostaíocht tháirgiúil a chruthú sa nGaeltacht. Ag teacht leis sin, níl aon amhras faoi sin ach go gcaithfidh sé modhanna oibre a chleachtadh le déanamh cinnte go bhfaigheadh sé an luach is fearr ó thaobh na Gaeltachta as sealúchas ar bith a dhíolann sé.
Tharla fadhb, agus tá a fhios againn uilig faoi sin. Bhí mo Roinn ag plé leis faoin gceist. Mar is eol don Teachta, bhí orthu tarraingt siar as an gcéad díol agus tiontú ar ais. Tá a fhios agam, áfach, go bhfuil na nósanna feabhsaithe ó shin, agus arís ar ais, tá mé thar a bheith muiníneach nach dtarlódh a leithéid d'eachtra arís.
48 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount of money at present lodged to the dormant accounts fund; when it is proposed to advertise for applications for grant aid under the fund; when the next allocation of grants will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37009/05]
Adjusted for liabilities of €48 million, the current value of the dormant accounts fund is €157 million. Such liabilities arise in respect of funding approved for projects by the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board which has yet to be drawn down. It is anticipated that a large element of this amount will be disbursed during 2006.
With regard to further allocations, the Deputy will be aware that the Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Act 2005 provides for significant changes in the disbursement of funds from dormant accounts and for a reconstituted board. The Act was commenced on 1 September 2005. Under this new legislation, the Minister is required to consult appropriate Ministers for the purpose of developing a proposal for submission to Government for approval. This proposal will include the programmes and types of projects for which applications for disbursements will be invited, as well as the criteria to be applied in assessing applications made in response to the invitation.
Yesterday the Government approved proposals for projects and programmes to address the social and economic disadvantage category under the next round of funding. The Minister will make a further announcement shortly when the details and operational procedures are finalised. The consultation process on proposals under the other two categories, education disadvantage and disability, is not yet finalised and the Minister hopes to be in a position to make proposals to Government under these two headings fairly soon.
Does the Minister of State agree that this so-called consultation process is a stalling device to ensure that allocations from the dormant accounts fund will be announced at the time most advantageous to the Government parties before the forthcoming general election? Does he further agree that this so-called consultation process is nothing more than the Minister and his Cabinet colleagues ensuring that this slush fund, which is what the Government has made of the fund, is used to maximise votes in the forthcoming general election?
Did I understand the Minister of State correctly that it is hoped that moneys which have not yet been drawn down from allocations made by the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board will be drawn down by the end of next year? Does that mean my suspicions are correct, that no further allocations will be made in 2006 and, effectively, the considerable resources of the fund, which the Government has converted into a slush fund, will be available to buy votes before the next general election?
No, what I stated earlier was that, of the allocations made to date by the board, €48 million has not yet been drawn down. A sum of €8 million is the only amount that has been drawn down. As Deputy O'Shea will be aware, ADM Limited administers all this for the disbursements board. Of the €63 million that was allocated, to date €8 million has been drawn down. It is a case of working out the legal agreements etc. However, one would expect that the figure drawn down would be increased significantly, and most of that will be disbursed next year. All the money is provided and allocated. While there is €205 million in the fund at present, deducting the liabilities of €48 million leaves €157 million.
There is no stalling. Matters have proceeded rapidly since the new legislation came into place. The consultation process — I was on one of the committees — involves representatives from approximately six Departments. There have been at least four or five meetings of that cross-departmental group. The only elected representatives at those meetings were the Minister and me. The rest of the participants were officials.
The committee on social and economic disadvantage has completed its work and sent its report to Cabinet. It is hoped that the other two committees — I am not on either of them — on disability and educational disadvantage, will complete their reports and send them to Cabinet fairly soon. Then matters will progress quickly in the new year.
I heard what the Minister of State said, but everything must be approved by Cabinet. That was the corrupt element brought into this, that where once there was an independent board, now the Government will decide. The Minister of State can put all the window dressing he likes around this, but at the end of the day it is the Cabinet, not the civil servants, advisers or whoever, that will make all the decisions.
The Minister of State has not confirmed to me when it is proposed that the next advertisement will be placed seeking applications and when, subsequently, it is proposed that allocations will be made. Nothing he stated disabuses me of the idea that we are looking at a slush fund. The Minister can grin and laugh all he likes, but let us come back here in a year and see what exactly has happened.
We will.
Can the Minister assure me that it will not be used as a slush fund?
Yes, absolutely.
Will the Minister give me the information I seek, that is, when it is proposed to advertise a new competition and when it is proposed to make allocations?
Deputy O'Shea would want to be joking.
As I stated, the social and economic disadvantage committee is one of the three committees — there are three interdepartmental committees.
Will the Minister of State advertise for that soon?
That report has gone to Cabinet. We are working on the details of the operational procedures of how we will roll that out. We only got approval from the Cabinet yesterday and it will be rolled out quickly. Deputy O'Shea will see all that in January or February next.
It will not necessarily be one large catch-all advertisement in the newspaper. We will bring forward a number of proposals. We will give much attention to RAPID programme areas and there will be a number of other programmes and projects very much centred on disadvantaged youth, older persons and other priority groups such as immigrant families and ex-offenders. It will not involve one massive advertisement in the newspaper. As there are different categories, we will focus on the different agreements. In January or February, Deputy O'Shea will see evidence of where groups will be invited to apply.
49 Ms C. Murphy asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the results of the review process carried out by his Department in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform relating to expenditure and its impacts on communities through the various programmes aimed at community development; the new programmes which are intended as a consequence of the review; the findings of the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37068/05]
The review of local and community development structures initiated by me and the Ministers for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government commenced in 2003.
Deputies will be aware that the guiding principles-terms of reference for the approach were improving on the ground services, supports and impacts on local communities, from within existing levels of resources; streamlining and rationalising structures so as to avoid overlaps, duplication and undue administrative overheads; bringing transparency, co-ordination and improved control to the funding and operation of local-community development measures; and strengthening the democratic accountability of agencies and service providers in this area.
As I indicated in my reply to Questions Nos. 151, 153, 156, 163, 172, 173 and 185 of 4 February 2004, arising from the review, the Government agreed to a number of proposals to improve delivery of services on the ground; improve arrangements under which community and local development initiatives are delivered; reaffirm Government's commitment to local and community development programmes; and improve cohesion and focus across various measures and enable communities to more readily access and make maximum use of the funding available.
In line with this decision, community and local development groups across urban, rural and Gaeltacht areas were requested to bring forward measures for improved alignment of structures in their respective areas by mid-2004. This process was co-ordinated by the local county and city development boards, CDBs.
As a result of the process, Cohesion Funding in the amount of €3,248,600 was allocated during 2004 to support specific measures aimed at improving the co-ordination of service delivery at local level. These were mainly focused on improving current arrangements on resources, staffing and geographic coverage.
In 2005-06 I am making funding of €7 million available for measures focused on the alignment of local, community and rural development organisations to achieve full county-city coverage by 2006. In rural areas, this will involve Leader and partnership, including community partnership, groups coming together to secure a unified structure that will provide full area cover. The intention is to secure full coverage of the local development social inclusion programme throughout the State. It will also be possible to deliver schemes such as the rural social schemes through these unified structures because they have full area cover. Proposals from local and community development groups are being assessed by an external consultant engaged by my Department.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House.
As indicated previously to the House, in line with the Government decision, new community development projects have been established on the basis of maximising recourse to existing structures. Of the 15 pre-development projects originally included in the community development programme, 12 are being delivered through existing community development projects or partnership companies. In addition, the funding available for intermediaries, such as regional support agencies, has been significantly reduced. This serves to maximise the resources available for community benefit. The number of such agencies with which my Department has a contract under the programme has been reduced from 13 to six. The six successful tenders commenced their contracts from 1 July 2004.
The process of restructuring ADM Limited has been progressed. The company name has been changed to Pobal and the necessary changes to the memorandum and articles of the company have been made to allow for Government to appoint the chair and members of the board. The Government has recently appointed seven new members.
I know the project was aimed at social inclusion. I wanted to tease out the definition of social inclusion with the Minister by way of a question. There are areas where nothing but houses are constructed and they are devoid of community facilities. This is a significant disadvantage as regards community development. Does the Minister anticipate the programme will capture that if it is to have full area cover? Will there be money available from these funds to deal with that and in what manner will they be dealt with? Bodies such as Combat Poverty and NARSA, the national institute for regional and spatial analysis, which is attached to Maynooth college, have mapped this as a type of poverty, in a recent publication and it is a useful finding. As the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government was involved, was there any discussion on policies as regards the obligations on developers or, where the Part V provisions are not working, where community facilities cannot be achieved without additional funding directly from the State?
There is no doubt that significant difficulties will arise if community facilities are not put in place that allow young people to function as they should and allow voluntarism to develop rather than engaging in endless fundraising. If there is a village, for example, with the population of a town, with no facilities and no heritage of community, there is endless fundraising. This rules out the possibility of a very-——
The Deputy will confine herself to the question.
Does the Minister regard that as a component of what is required in terms of community development?
The review process we were involved in was more about structures, it was not about community facilities, which is what the Deputy is referring to. That is why the answer focuses on what we have done to change the structures delivery. I will clarify precisely where we are at. A county such as County Kildare will have Leader companies, partnerships and so on. Every part of the country will be covered by an area-based company that will deliver a wide range of schemes, for example the rural social scheme, the LDSIP, the local development social inclusion programme, sometimes called the partnership programme, and in rural counties the Leader programme and others. Instead of two companies doing it, there will be one.
As regards the other issue raised by the Deputy, namely, the whole question of supervision of community centres and other necessary buildings, that is not my Department's direct responsibility. However, as the Minister with responsibility for community, I have an absolute belief that each community must have the requisite buildings. Under a new arrangement where levies are being taken out of all developments, it is absolutely imperative, as the Deputy rightly points out, that local authorities provide that land is available and ensure that the fund is used to construct the community's buildings.
I have repeatedly said that the idea of building housing estates without providing the necessary community facilities at the same time is the reason our Department must intervene time and again to deal with problems of anti-social behaviour, community breakdown etc. I fully accept the point made by the Deputy, although it was not the question that was asked.
Will the Minister make his views known on the review of the development levy scheme in that context?
My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, also has responsibility for housing and I have no difficulty in making my views known to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. There is a good working relationship between the two Departments. The Government is trying to bring an integrated approach to the whole scene which looks at communities in total. The reason our Department was set up was to take a bird's eye view of community requirements and not to look at everything in sections, with each section accountable for certain areas. We must take the broader view. I accept the full thrust of what the Deputy is saying. She can be assured that we are engaged with this work. We have used funds to provide facilities in areas of the drug task force's remit and so on. We are very focused on the need for integrated community development across various Departments and to ensure there is a joined-up approach towards this problem.
Question No. 50 is in the name of Deputy English. As it is a priority question and Deputy English is not in the House, it cannot be taken.
I wish to take that question.
I understand, but the rule is that the name must be notified to the office before questions. It should have been done this morning. It cannot be done at this stage.
I nominated Deputy English to table the question and I thought that was sufficient.
Can the House agree to the question being taken in the Deputy's name?
It can only be done if Deputy English appears before the end of Priority Questions. Question No. 51 will be taken now and if the Deputy is in the House by the time that is finished we will take it.
51 D'fhiafraigh Mr. O’Shea den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil tuarascáil d’aon sórt faighte aige ón staidéar teangeolaíoch a bhí dírithe ar úsáid na Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht agus ar cuireadh tús leis i mí Aibreáin 2004 chun athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar na limistéir oifigiúla Ghaeltachta. [37010/05]
Mar is eol don Teachta, tá an staidéar teangeolaíoch a luann sé— a bronnadh ar Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh i gcomhar leis an Institiúid Náisiúnta um Anailís Réigiúnach agus Spásúil, Ollscoil na hÉireann, Má Nuad — faoi lánseol i láthair na huaire.
Tá an staidéar, a thosaigh i mí Aibreáin 2004, dírithe ar úsáid na Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht mar bhunús chun forbairt theangeolaíoch na Gaeltachta mar cheantar labhartha Gaeilge a threisiú agus athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar na limistéir oifigiúla Gaeltachta.
Faoi mar a bhí aontaithe leis na comhairleoirí, tá trí thuarascáil eatramhach faighte ag mo Roinn go nuige seo mar chuid den obair atá ar bun trí chéile. Cuireann na tuarascálacha seo mo Roinnse ar an eolas maidir le dul chun cinn an togra go ginearálta. Níl i gceist ag an bpointe ama seo na tuarascálacha sin a fhoilsiú. Mar a mhínigh mé cheana, beidh na roghanna éagsúla tíreolaíochta agus déimeagrafaíocha, a mheastar a bheith oiriúnach mar bhunús chun na limistéir oifigiúla Ghaeltachta a shainiú, á scrúdú mar chuid den staidéar. Tá mé ag súil leis go mbeidh an staidéar críochnaithe faoi mhí Mheán Fómhair 2006 ar a dhéanaí. Ní dhéanfar aon chinneadh maidir le hathruithe ar na limistéir Ghaeltachta go dtí go mbeidh torthaí agus moltaí an staidéir meáite go cúramach ag mo Roinn agus pé moltaí ábhartha is gá a bheith curtha faoi bhráid an Rialtais in am tráth.
Nach n-aontaíonn an tAire liom gur cuireadh an staidéar seo ar bun chun éalú ón gcúram aistriú a dhéanamh ar na limistéir oifigiúla Gaeltachta le linn shaol an Rialtais seo? Nach bhfuil a fhios aige go bhfuil sé bhunscoil Ghaeltachta ina dháilcheantar féin nach bhfuil ag múineadh go hiomlán trí Ghaeilge? Nach raibh an dóthain ama aige go dtí seo agus dóthain eolais le fáil aige sa Roinn chun tabhairt faoi na fadhbanna atá ag baint leis an nGaolainn sa Ghaeltacht? Nach cleas é seo chun éalú ó thabhairt faoi fhadhbanna a bhaineann leis na limistéir Ghaeltachta ina dháilcheantar féin?
Caithfidh an Teachta a bheith cúramach nach é an Ghaeltacht bheag aige féin a chaillfidh as——
Níl aon scoil sa Ghaeltacht sin nach bhfuil ag múineadh go hiomlán trí Ghaolinn.
Tá scoileanna i mBaile Átha Cliath ag múineadh go hiomlán trí Ghaeilge agus ní i nGaeltachtaí iad, ach sin scéal eile.
An rud a mhol Coimisiún na Gaeltachta ar dtús ná go ndéanfaí staidéir den chineáil seo. Is ait an rud é. Má ghlacann duine le moltaí an Choimisiún tá thiar air nó uirthi. Muna ghlacann duine leo, tá thiar air nó uirthi. Mhol an Coimisiún féin go gcuirfí staidéir mar seo ar bun. Bhí iontas orm féin go dtógfadh sé an fhaid seo. Bhí fhios agam go maith go mbeadh a leithéid de Theachta ag rá an rud atá sé ag rá. Rinne mé iarracht le féachaint an bhféadfaí an méid ama a thógfaidh sé seo a laghdú, agus dúradh nach bhféadfaí. Mar sin, tá an jab á dhéanamh go críochnúil. Tá sé aisteach go leor, nuair a tháinig mé isteach sa Roinn, go raibh moladh ann don iar-Aire, an Teachta Micheál Ó hUiginn, stáidéar mar seo a dhéanamh. Ní raibh aon chinneadh déanta aige siúd ar chor ar bith, fiú tosnú ar an stáidéar. Ní déarfaidh mé níos mó.
Tharla sé sin ocht mbliana ó shin, nó níos mó. Nach n-aontaíonn an tAire liom sa mhéid seo? Nuair a cuireadh an Stát seo ar bun, bhí 250,000 duine sa Ghaeltacht a raibh an Ghaoluinn mar ghnáth-teanga laethúil acu. Mar atá an scéal inniu, níl ach 20,000 duine sa Ghaeltacht a bhfuil an Ghaoluinn mar ghnáth-teanga laethúil acu. Nach bhfuil gach dealramh ar an scéal go bhfuil cúrsaí ag dul go mór in olc? Mar is gnáth, is beag an rud atá á dhéanamh ag an Aire faoi sin. Le taobh an stáidéir seo, tá Fóram na Gaeilge, ach níl aon rud ar fáil ón bhfóram go fóill, de réir mar is eol dom. Níl aon rud foilsithe, agus ní fheicim aon rud. Ní tharlaíonn rud ar bith seachas stáidéar i ndiaidh stáidéir gan tada a dhéanamh. Bheadh na fadhbanna soiléir dá mbeadh an tAire ar aigne tabhairt fúthu agus stádas agus neart na Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht a láidriú. Ba cheart dó tabhairt faoi cheist phráinneach limistéir oifigiúla na Gaeltachta.
Ar an gcéad dul síos, níl bun ná barr leis na staitisticí atá á n-úsáid ag an Teachta, ar go leor cúiseanna. Mar shampla, i 1990 ní raibh ach 1% de phobal na tíre aonteangach. Is é an rud atá fíorspéisiúil faoi sin ná gur figiúr an-íseal é. Ag an am sin, an té a bhí dátheangach sa ghlúin seo, bhí a ghasúir aonteangach sa Bhéarla sa ghlúin dar gcionn. Mar sin, d'éirigh thar cinn. Má dhéantar stáidéar ar ghluaiseacht na Gaeilge, feictear gur éirigh thar cinn le gluaiseacht na Gaeilge.
Maidir le líon na gcainteoirí sa nGaeltacht, rinne m'athair féin suirbhé an-chuimsitheach ar an nGaeltacht i 1955, agus ba é an figiúr a fuair seisean ná 30,000 duine a raibh Gaeilge acu. Is é an figiúr a bhfuil an Teachta ag tagairt dó ná 250,000. Ní raibh aon Ghaeltacht ann nuair a bunaíodh an Stát, agus ní fhéadfaí bheith ag caint ar cé mhéad cainteoirí Gaeilge a bhí ann sa Ghaeltacht. Bhí an Teachta ag caint ar líon na gcainteoirí sa tír. Tagraíonn sé sin do na daoine, ar nós na ceiste a chuir an Teachta maidir le cé mhéad daoine a raibh Gaeilge acu. Más sin an slat tomhais a úsáidtear, táimid tar éis dul ón bhfigiúr a luaigh an Teachta, 250,000, go os cionn 1 milliún duine a deir anois go bhfuil Gaeilge acu. Ní raibh a leithéid de cheist agus cé mhéad a labhraíonn an Ghaeilge go laethúil á cur.
Mar sin, ní féidir comparáid a dhéanamh leis na staitisticí sin. Níl bun ná barr leis. Má chuirtear ceist taobh istigh de limistéir oifigiúla na Gaeltachta cé mhéad daoine a bhfuil Gaeilge acu, tá an figiúr i bhfad níos airde ná an ceann a luaigh an Teachta. Mar sin, níl bun ná barr leis an gceist. Tá sé deacair freagra a thabhairt ar cheist nach bhfuil bun ná barr léi ó thaobh na staitisticí de. Má theastaíonn ón Teachta, cuirfidh mé na staitisticí cruinne chuige. Bheimis in ann an cheist a phlé ansin. Tá méadú ollmhór tagtha ar líon na gcainteoirí Gaeilge in Éirinn, bunaithe céim ar chéim ar an gceist a cuireadh, is é sin, an bhfuil Gaeilge agat nó nach bhfuil. Sin an cheist a chuirtí fadó. Go deimhin féin, sin an cheist a chuirtí go dtí le dhá dhaonáireamh anuas.
An n-aontaíonn an tAire go bhfuil sé bhunscoil Ghaeltachta ina dháilcheantar féin nach mbíonn ag múineadh ina iomláine as Gaoluinn? Nach n-aontódh sé liom go gcaithfear rud éigin a dhéanamh faoi sin go luath agus go láidir? Cad atá á dhéanamh aige faoi sin? Níl mé chun dul isteach níos mó ar rudaí teicniúla ag an am seo faoi na figiúir, ach más rud é go ndeireann an tAire nach raibh 250,000 cainteoir Gaeilge sna ceantair ina raibh na Gaeltachtaí ina dhiaidh sin, tá sé ag dul timpeall ar an gceist go fírinneach cé mhéad cainteoirí dúchasacha a bhí sna háiteanna sin a bhíodh ag úsáid na Gaoluinne mar ghnáthmheán cumarsáide in aghaidh an lae. An nglacann an tAire leis go bhfuil na scoileanna sin ina dháilchéantar féin, agus an bhfuil sé imníoch faoi sin? Más rud é go bhfuil sé imníoch, céard go díreach atá sé chun a dhéanamh chun an scéal sin a leigheas? Muna mbíonn na páistí ag foghlaim Gaeilge ina iomláine sna bunscoileanna, cá bhfuil muid ag dul?
Glacaim leis go hiomlán go bhfuil an ceart ag an Teachta go bhfuil bunscoileanna i nGaeltacht na Gaillimhe nach bhfuil ag múineadh trí Ghaeilge. Níl aon amhras orm faoi sin. Ní thuigim cén chaoi a n-athródh sé an stád chun feabhais toiseacht a tharraingt línte ar léarscáil gan réamhstaidéar a dhéanamh. Is é an Teachta an chéad duine a déarfadh liom réamhstaidéar a dhéanamh sula dtosóinn a tharraingt línte ar léarscáil.
Go deimhin féin, caithfidh mé a rá, nuair a théimse go Gaeltacht Phort Láirge, go bhfuil cuid den Ghaeltacht sin ina bhfuil sé deacair mórán Gaeilge a fháil. Is ceist eile é an chun leas na Gaeltachta sin an chuid sin a chaitheamh amach. Chonaic mé cur síos an-spéisiúil den mhéid a dúirt——
Ní dúirt mise aon rud faoi áiteanna a chaitheamh amach. Ba cheart don Aire cloí leis an gceist a chuir mé faoina dháilcheantar féin agus na sé scoil úd. An bhfuil sé chun tada a dhéanamh fúthu?
An rud atá ar bun ná go bhful an grúpa sin ag déanamh staidéar teangeolaíoch.
Beidh sé ag déanamh staidéar go brách na breithe. Is é an obair atá ag teastáil uainn ná——
Tá rud an-chosúil ag teastáil leis an méid a bhí ar bun ag comhghleacaí an Teachta sular tháinig mé isteach sa Roinn.
Bhí sé sin ocht mbliana ó shin. Seo an lá inniu. An bhfuil an tAire chun aon rud a dhéanamh?
Táimse ag déanamh rudaí.
Cad é?
Bhí seisean ag breathnú ar rudaí. Ní dhearna seisean an staidéar ariamh.
Is é rudaí a dhéanamh atá uainn.
Tá mé ag caint ar rudaí a dhéanamh. D'achtaigh muid an tAcht teanga. Chuir muid an Ghaeilge isteach mar theanga oifigiúil oibre san Eoraip. Chuir muid scéim na gcúntóirí Gaeilge agus scéim na gcampaí samhraidh ar bun. Rinne muid athbheochan iomlán ar scéim na bhfeabhsúchán Gaeltachta, a bhí rite síos le tamall de bhlianta.
An bhfuil aon tairbhe bainte astu?
Tá an iliomad rud déanta againn ar son na teanga. Agus is é an t-aon rud atá á mholadh dúinn anois ná go gcuirfí deireadh léi sna scoileanna.
Nár thug an comhghleacaí áirithe sin TG4 isteach?
Caithfidh mé é sin a thabhairt dó, agus níor sheas mise suas ariamh sa Teach seo á rá nach ndearna sé an rud sin, agus thug mé míle moladh dó taobh istigh den Teach seo an rud sin a dhéanamh, agus tugaim moladh dó arís inniu.
