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Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 25 Feb 1993

Vol. 135 No. 3

Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill, 1993: [ Bille Airgid Deimhnithe ] : Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna Deiridh.

Alt 1 aontaithe.
ALT 2.

I move recommendation No. 1:

In page 4, line 19 after "functions", to add the following:

"Any grants paid by the Minister to An tÚdarás under the terms of this section may be reclaimed by the Minister if circumstances arise which warrant such action."

I am sure the Minister will put my mind at ease on this matter but I decided to table this recommendation because a quick scan of the original 1979 Act brought to my attention that the Minister did not seem to have the power to require An tÚdarás to repay grants made by the Minister. The recommendation probably does not read very well but may convey my intention.

The world in which we live is becoming quite complicated. White collar crime is rampant. I do not suggest that the personnel of An tÚdarás would involve themselves in criminal activities but the Minister might, sometime, need to take immediate action. It should be possible for him to do so under the legislation rather than have to go through the courts which might take longer. It is difficult for me to come up with an example of circumstances which would force the Minister to take action of this kind but such circumstances could arise.

This example probably stretches the imagination but if a bogus set of estimates was submitted by An tÚdarás and the Minister then discovered that a body or bodies was helping itself to State cash, he could take immediate action by requiring An tÚdarás to return moneys to him. This provision, if adopted, might also serve as a deterrent from dishonest behaviour.

If the Minister can assure me that power to recall moneys is already contained in legislation governing An tÚdarás I will be happy to withdraw this recommendation.

Donegal Southe-West): Tá mé díreach tar éis an leasú seo a léamh don chéad uair. Ní gá a leithéid de leasú; tá go leor cosanta in Acht na bliana 1979 maidir leis an gceist seo. Ní féidir liom glacadh leis an leasú a thabharfadh isteach nós nua maidir le deontais-i-gcabhair a thabhairt ní hamháin don Údarás ach do bhord Stáit ar bith. Nuair a thugann an tÚdarás deontas do chomhlacht, tig leis i gcúinsí áirithe an deontas sin a lorg arais agus déantar é sin ó am go chéile. Íocann an Roinn an deontas-i-gcabhair leis an Údarás i dtráthchodanna de ghnáth in aghaidh na míosa, mar chosaint.

Tagann an leasú seo salach ar an gcóras bord Stáit atá leagtha amach don Údarás agus do bhoird eile.

De réir alt 20 d'Acht Údarás na Gaeltachta, 1979, tabharfaidh an tÚdarás don Aire aon eolas a iarrfaidh an tAire ó am go ham maidir le comhlíonadh feidhmeanna an Údaráis. Chomh maith leis sin bíonn feidhmeannaigh na Roinne i dteagmháil laethúil leis an Údarás. Nuair a shínítear conradh idir an Údarás agus comhlacht ar bith, bíonn coinníolacha iomadúla ann. Mar shampla, le blianta beaga anuas tá deontais do chomhlachtaí ceangailte le soláthar jobanna. Má gheallann comhlacht go gcuirfear uimhir áirithe job ar fáil, tá deis "claw-back" ag an Údarás. Más léir go bhfuil caimiléireacht ar bun ag comhlacht ar bith is féidir a ndeontas a lorg arais.

Is dóigh liom go bhfuil dóthain cosanta sa Bhille. Tuigim pointe an Seanadóir Cotter ach ón eolas atá agam ní gá an leasú a mholann sé.

An bhfuil tú sásta, a Sheanadóir?

I am to a degree. I suspected that was the case even though I did not find the provision when I glanced through the Bill. I suspected there was adequate protection for the Minister's interests within the Bill. The section to which the Minister refers states that an tÚdarás will supply to the Minister any information regarding the performance of functions which he may require from time to time but that does not address the point I want addressed. I think the Minister should have power to withdraw or seek to recover grants paid. If the Minister discovered in two years time that an tÚdarás was carrying out its functions in an improper way, under this legislation I cannot see that he has the power to disband an tÚdarás. That power may well be there but I did not notice it when I was reading. If that situation arose, how would he handle it?

(Donegal South-West): Tuigim an méid a dúirt an Seanadóir maidir le alt 20. Tá an t-alt ginearálta ach ag an am céanna tá an chumhacht againne in Alt 20:

Tabharfaidh an tÚdarás don Aire aon eolas a iarrfaidh an tAire ó am go ham maidir le comhlíonadh feidhmeanna an Udaráis.

Tá dhá cheist anseo. Deir an Seanadóir go mba cheart go mbeadh an chumhacht ag an Roinn airgead a lorg ar ais ón Údarás. Bhí mise ag déanamh an phointe chomh maith go bhfuil coinníollacha le comhlíonadh sula n-íocann an tÚdarás airgead amach ach níor shin pointe an tSeanadóra ina leasú.

I mbliana, beidh an Roinn ag íoc £7.15 mhilliún leis an Údarás i bhfoirm deontas agus £9.8 milliún i bhfoirm airleacan. Tar éis an Bhille seo dul tríd agus é a bheith sínithe ag an Uachtarán, beidh an £9.8 milliún d'airleacain ag dul chuig an Údarás faoin bhfotheideal céanna leis na deontais.

Ní íoctar an £17 milliún ag tús na bliana ach i dtráthchodanna, b'fhéidir in aghaidh na míosa ag brath ar an éileamh ón Údarás. Níl fadhb againn sa ghné seo agus bímid i dteangmháil rialta leis an Údarás. Ní dóigh liom go dtarlóidh an rud a luaigh an Seanadóir agus tá dóthain cosanta chuige i mBille 1979.

Tarraingíodh siar an moladh faoi chead.

Alt 2 aontaithe.

Ailt 3 agus 4 aontaithe.

Aontaíodh an Teideal.

Tuairiscíodh an Bille gan mholadh, glacadh an Bille chun an breithniú deiridh a dhéanamh air agus aontaíodh an moladh go gcuirfí an Bille ar ais chun na Dála.

That is the Bill completed.

I forgot to congratulate the Leas-Chathaoirleach who was appointed this morning and I now congratulate him. This is my first day in the House and I did not have an opportunity to congratulate you either, a Chathaoirligh. I want it noted.

(Donegal South-West): Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis na Seanadoirí go léir a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht seo.

Sitting suspended at 3.50 p.m. and resumed at 4 p.m.
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