Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising a broad spectrum of important issues. It proves how multifaceted rural Ireland is. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Griffin, has contacted me about the issue Deputy Danny Healy-Rae mentioned. I wish the individual who is making the application well with the process. It is an independent process and obviously there will be no political influence on the outcome. I wish the community well and hope something good comes out of that.

I acknowledge the Deputy's emphasis on the language. Men and women coming in from very rural areas to meet people engaging in the language goes back to the point I made to the Chairman earlier. How can we measure scientifically or exactly who is using a language, when they are using it and what groups are using it? I always go back to the core basics that if somebody is going to the shop to buy a loaf, to the post office or other public area or to the bingo, our aspiration is that he or she will not think twice about using the Irish language. It should be natural to speak Irish. I acknowledge what the Deputy is saying.

My predecessor, the Minister of State, Deputy Kyne, was involved with my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Griffin, in setting up an interagency task force in that part of Kerry. We might be able to set up some sort of connection with Deputy Danny Healy-Rae and the group in question. Údarás na Gaeltachta is very much involved. It would be an important group to contact on this issue also.

The Deputy mentioned community employment schemes. Outside the CE schemes, Údarás na Gaeltachta also has a brief. Obviously it works within the rules and regulations. It might be worth the Deputy's while exploring that through the task force because it is an interagency and interdepartmental group. Its report should be completed shortly. We can connect the Deputy into that. Páidí Ó Sé would be in the Dingle area. We will get that connection.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae mentioned Comharchumann Forbartha Chorca Dhuibhne. It has great people working on the ground and it is very hard to put a job description on their role. Let us say they go straight to the category of any other business assigned. They work with elderly people and the younger population and in healthcare, education and the community. They work on a broad spectrum of areas and I agree they need support. Deputy Ó Cuív raised it in the Dáil yesterday that we need to look at resources for them.

I am working hard. I have had a meeting with the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, regarding the budget. Nothing has been decided. We will find out next Tuesday. In the past two years, we have increased the funding by €350,000. I know we can increase it further. I take the point that has been made. I know there is a big stocaireacht, or campaign, in Buswells Hotel today. I will try to get over to meet those involved.

Deputy Michael Collins raised some broad issues and referred specifically to ferry services. We were involved in that. We dealt very closely with Aisling Moran, a great worker who has led on a number of fronts in the arts area, etc. We found solutions when we had difficulties. The community took the decision to close the school. We understood that there were issues with ferry times because people had to get back and people had to wait. We allocated extra money for additional ferry services. Obviously, that is still not a solution. I implore the people who have a role in making decisions on the timetabling of ferry services to continue to link with the community. There is an extra funding stream there for an extra service. Obviously, it is still not a solution. The Deputy also referred to the resources being sought by the Irish-language comharchumann. I will take that on board as well.