Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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247. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the expenditure in each of the individual Gaeltacht areas approved by her Department from 2018 to 2023 and to date in 2024 by Údarás Na Gaeltachta, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20519/24]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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The tables below detail the spending by Údarás na Gaeltachta in each Gaeltacht county for the years 2018 to the end of April 2024. These tables are categorised by major expenditure streams. It is not possible to categorise all expenditure by county especially expenditure that is not client or building specific such as general training programmes. In such instances the expenditure is not included. The Deputy should be aware that, as Údarás na Gaeltachta is a statutory body with its own board, my Department has no role as regards the approval of this expenditure.

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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248. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the expenditure by Údarás na Gaeltachta in each of the individual Gaeltacht areas from 2018 to 2023 and to date in 2024, and the individual expenditure headings to which this spending was allocated within each individual Gaeltacht area, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20520/24]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides core Exchequer funding to Údarás na Gaeltachta under three separate headings; current expenditure (pay & pensions); current expenditure (programmes) and capital expenditure. The Department also provides a separate allocation towards the implementation of the language planning process in the Gaeltacht. This funding is supplemented by own source income and funding sourced from other external programmes.

The tables below detail the organisation's spending in each Gaeltacht county for the years 2018 to the end of April 2024. These tables are categorised by major expenditure streams. It is not possible to categorise all expenditure by county, in particular expenditure that is not client or building specific such as general training programmes. In such instances, the expenditure is not included. However, this accounts for only a small amount of the overall expenditure. Similarly, current expenditure relating to the administration of the organisation is not included in this analysis. The expenditure is categorised as follows:

Grants and Investments

This includes all grants and shares paid to Údarás na Gaeltachta client companies, including Covid support schemes. Investments derive from applications made by client companies under various support grant and investment schemes made available by Údarás in accordance with State Aid Rules.

Building and Estates

This category incorporates capital spending on new buildings as well as expenditure relating to the repurposing and renovation of existing building stock. It also includes capital investment in industrial estates.

Community Development and Language Planning

This expenditure relates to supports provided to community development organisations working in conjunction with Údarás to deliver targeted investment, based on agreed annual programmes in communities throughout the Gaeltacht. The larger Gaeltacht areas would have a greater number of such organisations.

A key objective of Údarás na Gaeltachta is the delivery of an effective language planning process in 26 Language Planning Areas and 3 Gaeltacht Service Towns. Funding in this regard is provided to designated community organisations to deliver agreed programmes of activities.

Maintenance

This expenditure relates to the utility costs for industrial estates and the ongoing maintenance of industrial buildings, offices and estates in the Gaeltacht.

Expenditure by Údarás na Gaeltachta in each of the individual Gaeltacht areas from 2018 to 2023 and to date in 2024

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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249. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide a detailed charter of Údarás na Gaeltachta in terms of its mission statement, its governance structure, and the responsibilities and KPIs to which it is tasked; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20521/24]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Údarás na Gaeltachta's Strategic Plan 2021-2025, as agreed by the Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta and submitted to my Department, sets out the organisation’s mission statement as follows:

"To foster a sustainable Gaeltacht community where Irish is the main language, and where employment, society and culture make a world-class quality of life available."

As a statutory body Údarás na Gaeltachta is subject to the provisions of all relevant legislation and the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, 2016. Its board members are appointed by the Minister in accordance with the provisions of Acht na Gaeltachta 2012. There are regular meetings of the board which considers and approves investment proposals and initiatives promoting and sustaining the use of the Irish language. The Board also has oversight of the governance and financial structures in place in the organisation and receives regular reports to that end. These structures include the following:

• The organisation's Audit and Risk Committee, comprising four board members and one external member, reports on a regular basis to the board.
• An Internal Audit Service is provided to Údarás na Gaeltachta which operates in accordance with the Framework Code of Best Practice set out in the Code of Practice on the Governance of State Bodies.
• Údarás is also subject to an annual statutory audit performed by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
• The Minister also receives an annual letter from the Chairperson of the Board setting out compliance with various legislative and governance requirements.