Donegal South-West): Cuireann sé an-lúcháir orm an deis seo a fháil chun labhairt thar ceann an Rialtais sa tSeanad inniú maidir leis an tuarascáil dheiridh ón eagraíocht Developing the West Together. Mar Theachta Dála ón iar-thuaisceart agus mar Aire Stáit a bhfuil freagracht speisialta orm i leith na Gaeltachta, is dóigh liom go bhfuil sé d'údarás agam a rá go bhfuil tuiscint maith agam ar na fadhbanna atá idir chaibidil sa tuarascáil sin. Beidh focal ar leith le rá agam faoin Ghaeltacht ar ball.
I commend all those who have shown initiative and perseverance over a long period in compiling this comprehensive analysis of socio-economic conditions in the west of Ireland and the expertise demonstrated in bringing forward policy recommendations to improve this most peripheral area of Europe.
The analysis and recommendations for policy are important in that they represent the various perspectives and key development priorities of the people living in the west. As we know, Developing the West Together is an organisation established by the Catholic bishops of Connacht and Donegal to spearhead the efforts of people living in the west to achieve greater development of the resources of the region. The report represents consensus views of a number of core groups who have identified the potential of the area and recommended strategic approaches to exploit that potential.
This report merits a positive response. The various recommendations will receive detailed consideration in the relevant Departments. The integrated nature of the recommendations, however, required an integrated response from the Government. The report calls for the appointment of a Minister for the west but in view of the functional rather than geographic basis for ministerial responsibility, this is not a feasible option. The Government has, however, decided to establish a high level task force to be chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach to examine and advise on the recommendations in the report.
The task force will have specific terms of reference. First, to assess the recommendations of the report and bring forward proposals to Government as to the actions to be taken and, second, to make recommendations to Government on the most appropriate institutional response. This task force will comprise representatives from a number of relevant Departments, including the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, from local bodies in the region and the steering group of Developing the West Together. The task force is being asked to complete its work and report to the Government within two months. The first function of the task force will be to consider the recommendations in the report in the context of current policy initiatives, in particular those detailed in the Programme for Government, the National Development Plan and most recently in the new Programme for Competitiveness and Work which was agreed with the social partners.
At the recent launch of the report, A Crusade for Survival, the Taoiseach spoke of the key priorities for the west as outlined in the report. These are job creation, combating unemployment, promoting economic activity based on natural resources, improving the transport infrastructure and encouraging tourism and, of course, local development initiatives. The Government has set out the same key priorities in the National Development Plan to be pursued with the assistance of Structural Funds over the period 1994-99. We now have a unique opportunity to achieve these objectives. The social and economic measures announced in the budget are designed to complement the measures in the plan so as to form a cohesive framework for development.
One of the recurring themes in A Crusade for Survival is the need to bring a local dimension to the strategic planning for the western region. I am pleased to say that both the European Union and the Government recognise and concur with this philosophy. The process of devolving decision making to a more local level has already begun. The Leader programme is a major Community initiative in empowering local communities to initiate economic activity in their areas. I am glad to say that a number of groups in the west have demonstrated the potential of this initiative. While details of the new Community initiatives are still under negotiation, it is the Government's intention that the Leader programme will be repeated and greatly expanded.
The Government, for its part, prompted by the success of the area based response to long-term unemployment under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, has developed a local development programme as a key element in the national plan. The programme through its various elements gives the opportunity to all communities, including those in west and Donegal, to exploit the natural resources and competitive advantages of their areas through support for new economic activities.
The working and living conditions of the people of the areas will be improved through programmes for education, training, work experience and community and environmental developments. These are being promoted through country enterprise boards and in designated disadvantaged areas through area partnerships. The Government has recently designated the disadvantaged areas for this purpose, including significant parts of the region covered by the report which we are currently discussing. These new structures will operate in tandem with Departments and State agencies to maximise the impact of the plan measures in the relevant areas. The recommendations in A Crusade for Survival will form an important policy input in this process.
Faoi mar a luaigh mé cheana, tá freagracht speisialta i leith na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta orm mar Aire Stáit ag an Roinn Ealaíon, Cultúir agus Gaeltachta. Níl amhras ach go bhfuil na fadhbanna céanna á bhfulaingt ag an Ghaeltacht is atá ag an iarthar trí chéile agus tá aitheantas tugtha ag an Rialtas do na fadhbanna sin tríd an soláthar atá i gceist a chur ar fáil don Ghaeltacht faoin bPlean Forbartha Náisiunta 1994-1997.
Tá suim £77milliúin sonraithe faoin bplean, mar fho-chlár den chlár tionscail, lena chaitheamh d'fhonn forbairt tionscail a chur chun cinn sa Ghaeltacht. Measann Údarás na Gaeltachta go gcruthófar 3,600 post nua lánaimseartha ar a laghad le linn tréimshe an phlean — meán de 600 post in aghaidh na bliana — gan trácht ar mhéadú cuimsitheach ar líon na bpost lánaimseartha agus páirtaimseartha séasúracha.
Ar ndóigh, tá obair nach beag á déanamh ag an Údarás cheana féin le tacaíocht an Rialtais chun deiseanna fostaíochta breise a chruthú do mhuintir na Gaeltachta. Cruthaíodh 879 bpost nua lánaimseartha ar an bhfód i 1993 agus, tar éis caillteanais a chur san áireamh, bhí méadú glan de 204 phost sa bhliain sin. Ba é sin an méadú glan ba mhó le ceithre bhliain anuas agus an 12ú bhliain i ndiaidh a chéile ina raibh glanmhéadú san fhostaíocht i dtionscail faoi scáth na heagraíochta, sin Údarás na Gaeltachta: tá ardmholadh tuillte ag an Údarás da bharr. Chomh maith leis sin, tháinig méadú de 330 ar líon na bpost shéasúracha sa Ghaeltacht le linn 1993 — ó 2,580 duine i 1992 go dtí buaicphointe 2,910 duine i 1993.
Ní miste a lua chomh maith go bhfuil suim speisialta £8 milliúin sonraithe laistigh de chlár iascaireachta den Phlean Forbartha Náisiúnta chun feabhas a chur ar shaoráidí calaíochta sa Ghaeltacht. Tá i gceist díriú ach go háirithe ar shaoráidí lena mbaineann tábhacht ar leith do na hoileáin amach ón gcósta. Ar ndóigh, cabhróidh na hoibreacha a dheanfar le forbairt na h-iascaireachta chomh maith le cúrsaí farantóireachta. Is cúis sásaimh ar leith domsa go bhfuil soláthar déanta sa chlár oibre sin do thógáil saoráidí oiriúnacha calaíochta ar Thoraigh.
Tá mé cinnte gur chun tairbhe na Gaeltachta agus a muintire a rachaidh an soláthar iomlán £85 milliúin atá i gceist ag an Rialtas a chur ar fáil don Ghaeltacht faoin bPlean Forbartha Náisiúnta 1994-1997.
The problems in the west and, indeed, other disadvantaged areas around the country — including the Gaeltacht — do not have immediate solutions. Progress however, will be achieved through a planned, sustained and integrated approach involving a partnership of Government, State agencies, the social partners and local communities. The process has begun in the west and the Government for their part are committed to slowing the downward spiral of economic activity, emigration and unemployment in the region.
The task force which has been established will ensure that the many detailed recommendations in this report, A Crusade for Survival, are fully considered and that action will be taken, as indeed it is being taken across the full range of relevant policy issues. This is a far more effective approach than designating a Minister which, apart from being at variance with the basis on which Ministers are appointed, would give no guarantee of effective action in all the Departments and agencies involved. The establishment of this task force will also enable the Government to give detailed consideration to alternative institutional arrangements which would be an appropriate and effective means of underpinning development in the region as part of our national approach to development.
Faoi mar is eol do Sheanadóirí, tá ráite go soiléir ag an Taoiseach go bhfuil an Rialtas réidh chun a chuid a dhéanamh sa chomhpháirtíocht ar mhaithe leis an iarthair agus Dún na nGall atá iarrtha sa tuarascáil atá á plé anseo inniu. Is dóigh liom go bhfuil céim atá stuama agus éifeachtach á glacadh ag an Rialtas anois chun na críche sin tríd an mheitheal oibre ard leibhéil a bhunú agus táim cinnte go mbeidh tacaíocht dá réir le fáil ón Seanad.