Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 June 2012
335 Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the way he envisages the provision of the Gaeltacht Bill which empowers him to direct Údarás na Gaeltachta to provide funding to projects previously funded by Enterprise Ireland and the Industrial Development Authority to operate. [30906/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with a Government decision of 31 May 2011, Údarás na Gaeltachta is to retain its enterprise functions in the Gaeltacht, subject,inter alia, to the development of a mechanism to enable it to operate in co-operation with other enterprise agencies in relation to any significant Gaeltacht projects of high potential that may arise. An administrative mechanism to give effect to this decision is currently under development by a high-level working group consisting of representatives of my Department, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the relevant enterprise agencies.
The provision in the Gaeltacht Bill 2012 is designed to ensure that Údarás na Gaeltachta would not be precluded at some time in the future from providing assistance to companies that may have been supported by the Industrial Development Authority or by Enterprise Ireland under this mechanism, subject to adequate resources being made available. The existing legislation which governs Údarás na Gaeltachta prohibits the provision of financial assistance in any particular case where financial assistance has been provided by the aforementioned enterprise agencies.
