Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 May 2017
715. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will provide additional funding to Gaeltacht areas to encourage greater use of the Irish language and better economic prospects for those living in those areas. [19724/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer the Deputy to the previous replies given to Parliamentary Questions in relation to this matter. As I mentioned in those replies, the implementation of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 is recognised as a key priority in the Programme for a Partnership Government in so far as it supports the maintenance and development of the Irish language as a community and household language in the Gaeltacht. Other measures outlined in the Programme include:
- A focus on job creation in the Gaeltacht through investment in jobs by Údarás na Gaeltachta;
- Encouraging the attendance by children at Irish-medium pre-schools or naíonraí in Gaeltacht areas; and,
- Increasing investment in the Irish language.
The Deputy will be aware that my Department, together with Údarás na Gaeltachta, administers a wide range of schemes, programmes and initiatives targeting language and economic development in Gaeltacht areas. Further details are available on my Department’s and Údarás na Gaeltachta’s websites at www.ahrrga.gov.ie and www.udaras.ie respectively.
In order to further underpin the implementation of the 20-Year Strategy and the language planning process, as set out in Acht na Gaeltachta 2012, a specific allocation of €1.25m has also been provided in my Department’s vote this year, an increase of €250,000 on the 2016 allocation. This increased allocation will further enable my Department, acting in co-operation with Údarás na Gaeltachta and relevant stakeholders at community level, to implement a range of specific and practical measures aimed at supporting both the implementation of the Strategy and of the language planning process in Gaeltacht areas.
A further increase of €1m in current funding provided in my Department’s Vote this year for the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and Islands programme area will enable my Department to allocate extra resources to Gaeltacht support schemes such as the Irish Language Summer Colleges and community schemes funded by Údarás na Gaeltachta.
In relation to economic development, as Minister of State with responsibility for the Gaeltacht, I very much appreciate the importance of job creation in helping to retain sustainable communities in Gaeltacht areas. In this context, I wish to acknowledge the very important enterprise and employment function of Údarás na Gaeltachta as the regional economic development agency for the Gaeltacht. In its regional enterprise role in the Gaeltacht, Údarás na Gaeltachta, in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland and the IDA, will continue to work towards attracting investment to the Gaeltacht, in addition to supporting micro-enterprises and developing the skills base in the Gaeltacht. In order to enable Údarás na Gaeltachta to fulfil its job creation remit, a baseline capital funding allocation of €6.687m has been provided by the Exchequer to the organisation in 2017.
