Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 December 2010
368 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs the investment in supporting the Irish language annually across each Government Department including his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45945/10]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, my Department administers and delivers a range of programmes and measures aimed at supporting both the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. In 2010, some €77m in funding has been made available under both the Gaeltacht & Islands Development and Promotion & Maintenance of the Irish Language headings within my Department’s Vote. The table below provides a breakdown of this allocation at subhead level.
|
Current |
Capital |
Total |
||
|
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
||
|
Gaeltacht And Islands Development |
||||
|
E.1 |
Gaeltacht Capital |
— |
10,000 |
10,000 |
|
E.2 |
Gaeltacht Cultural And Social Schemes |
9,327 |
— |
9,327 |
|
E.3 |
Islands — Transport And Other Services |
5,700 |
— |
5,700 |
|
E.4 |
Islands — Infrastructure |
— |
11,000 |
11,000 |
|
E.5 |
Údarás Na Gaeltachta — Administration |
11,000 |
— |
11,000 |
|
E.6 |
Údarás Na Gaeltachta — Current Programme Expenditure |
3,915 |
— |
3,915 |
|
E.7 |
Údarás Na Gaeltachta — Grants For Projects And Capital Expenditure On Premises |
— |
18,000 |
18,000 |
|
E.8 |
Údarás Na Gaeltachta — Election |
1 |
— |
1 |
|
Sub-total Gaeltacht & Islands Development |
29,943 |
39,000 |
68,943 |
|
|
Promotion And Maintenance Of The Irish Language |
||||
|
F.1 |
Irish Language Support Schemes |
6,616 |
600 |
7,216 |
|
F.2 |
An Coimisinéir Teanga |
796 |
— |
796 |
|
Sub-Total Promotion & Maintenance of the Irish Language |
7,412 |
600 |
8,012 |
|
|
Total |
37,355 |
39,600 |
76,955 |
Notwithstanding the current economic challenges, the Government remains committed to supporting the Gaeltacht and the Irish language and considers that the 20-year Strategy for the Irish Language, which is to be published shortly, will provide an appropriate framework to advance these objectives. While there will be reduced funding in 2011 for existing schemes and services, there will be an increased emphasis on targeting resources on the area of language planning in the context of the implementation of the Strategy.
With regard to investment in the Irish language by other Departments, the Deputy will appreciate that this would be a matter for those Departments to report on individually.
