Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he has carried out an analysis on the impact on jobs of removing the jobs role from Údarás; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36977/12]

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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At the outset, I should point out to the Deputy that its enterprise development function has not been removed from Údarás na Gaeltachta. On the contrary, in light of the organisation’s expertise with regard to the economic development of the Gaeltacht, the Government decided on 31 May 2011 that Údarás na Gaeltachta should retain its current functions, including its enterprise functions, subject to: statutory provision being made to enable the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to direct Údarás na Gaeltachta to focus its limited resources towards specific enterprise sectors; and the development of a mechanism to facilitate Údarás na Gaeltachta to co-operate with other enterprise development agencies, particularly with regard to significant Gaeltacht projects with high potential. The Gaeltacht Act 2012, which was enacted on 25 July 2012, includes the statutory provision referred to above. In addition, officials from my Department have been working closely with their counterparts in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the relevant State development agencies with a view to devising an appropriate mechanism for co-operation between Enterprise Ireland, the IDA and Údarás na Gaeltachta.