Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh míle maith agat, a Chathaoirligh agus a Aire. Táim an-sásta bheith anseo inniu chun chur in iúl daoibh ár mbeartas in aghaidh an Chovid-19. Labhróidh mé faoi cúrsaí spóirt, an Ghaeilge agus an Ghaeltacht.

As my colleague the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, has already demonstrated, the Covid-19 pandemic and associated public health measures have had a very deep and significant impact on sports in Ireland. At level 5, we have seen the effective cessation of all sporting activity, other than at elite and professional level and in respect of small-scale training for school-aged children, with consequent impacts on the revenues of the national governing bodies of sport, on employment in the commercial gyms and leisure sector, and, most critically, on the well-being of individuals and teams across the country.

As with communities across the country, Gaeltacht communities continue to struggle with the impacts of the pandemic. Brexit, coupled with the economic impact of the pandemic, will put further pressure on Gaeltacht enterprises, which will need our continued support in the weeks and months ahead. Officials from my Department continue to work closely with Údarás na Gaeltachta to ensure that we put in place timely and appropriate measures to protect Gaeltacht economies. These communities are also struggling from the loss of vital tourism and educational visitors.

Níos túisce i mbliana, chuir mo Roinn pacáiste tacaíochta ar fiú €4.7 milliún é i bhfeidhm a bhí dírithe ar a chinntiú go ndéanfaí earnáil na gcoláistí samhraidh Gaeilge a choinneáil. Ó bunaíodh an Rialtas seo, tá an tAire, an Teachta Catherine Martin, agus mé féin ag obair gan staonadh lenár gcomhghleacaithe sa Rialtas chun an chuid is measa de thionchar Covid-19 a mhaolú. Chuige sin, i mí Iúil seo caite, d'fhógraíomar €8 milliún breise d'Údarás na Gaeltachta agus ba ionann a leithroinnt iomlán caipitil ansin agus beagnach €18 milliún. Tá an maoiniú breise sin ag tacú le réimse d'infheistíochtaí caipitiúla a fheabhsóidh cumas an Údaráis tacú le fiontair áitiúla agus tá sé sin ag cruthú 40 go 50 post nua tógála ar fud na Gaeltachta faoi láthair. Meastar go dtacóidh an infheistíocht le 320 post nua níos fadtéarmaí a chruthú i gcliantchuideachtaí de chuid Údarás na Gaeltachta.

Mar chuid dár dtacaíocht leanúnach don teanga, cuireadh maoiniú níos airde ar fáil don phróiseas pleanála teanga in 2020 agus i bpobal na Gaeltachta agus sa chlár tacaíochtaí Gaeltachta. Ina theannta sin, tá maoiniú breise €250,000 curtha ar fáil d'Ealaín na Gaeltachta chun líon suntasach sparánachtaí a chur ar fáil d'ealaíontóirí atá lonnaithe sa Ghaeltacht.

Tá sé i gceist agam an móiminteam sin a choinneáil in 2021 le soláthar an mhaoinithe bhreise shuntasaigh a cuireadh ar fáil faoi bhuiséad 2021 don Ghaeltacht agus don Ghaeilge. An chéad bhliain eile, cuirfear leithroinnt breis is €78 milliún ar fáil d'earnáil na Gaeltachta agus na Gaeilge - sin ardú €14.8 milliún ar an gcéad leithroinnt a rinneadh in 2020. Áirítear ann €31.8 milliún ar an iomlán lena chur ar chumas Údarás na Gaeltachta infheistíocht a dhéanamh i bpobail Ghaeltachta. Gheobhaidh an Foras Teanga a chéad ardú ar mhaoiniú clár den chéad uair ón mbliain 2016, chomh maith le leithroinnt bhreise €1.799 milliún arna cur ar fáil don chomhoibriú Thuaidh Theas an bhliain seo chugainn. Ní mór dom a chur in iúl chomh maith, go bhfaighidh TG4 ardú €3.5 milliún, in éineacht leis an €78 milliún a leithroinneadh faoi chláir Ghaeltachta agus Ghaeilge na Roinne, faoi chlár meán na Roinne ag tabhairt a leithroinnt don bhliain 2021 go dtí beagnach €41 milliún. Is léiriú é sin ar an méid ollmhór a chuireann TG4 le cur i bhfeidhm Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge.

Maidir le cúrsaí teanga lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht, tá leithroinnt bhreise €1 milliún fógartha agam chun cur le scéimeanna tacaíochta teanga na Roinne, chomh maith le hinfheistíocht €2 milliún in infheistíocht chaipitil chun an Ghaeilge agus ionaid chultúir go náisiúnta a fhorbairt.

There has been extensive engagement with the sport sector over the past number of months, which has highlighted the significant, adverse impact of Covid-19 at all levels of the Irish sporting landscape. A Covid-19 sports monitoring group, chaired at ministerial level, has been established to engage directly with the sporting bodies. An expert group on the return to sport, chaired by an official of my Department, has also been established to provide advice and guidance to sporting bodies. Sport Ireland is also directly engaging with sporting bodies on an ongoing basis.

Last Monday, the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, and I were delighted to announce the allocation of funding support of €85 million to help mitigate some of the impact Covid-19 has had on Irish sport this year. The additional funding disbursed by Sport Ireland will address the existential threat to national governing bodies and their club networks, allowing sports organisations to offset losses incurred during the pandemic. This investment will reach all levels of the sport sector with national governing bodies, local sports partnerships and thousands of grassroots clubs across Ireland set to benefit. The funding package includes support of over €30 million for Gaelic games, including a special allocation of €15 million for the 2020 championships, €18 million to support the IRFU and rugby clubs throughout the country, €13 million to support the FAI and soccer clubs nationwide, grant support of almost €15 million to other national governing bodies of sport and their affiliated clubs, as well as additional funding of over €2.4 million for the local sports partnerships and other stakeholders to support innovative projects to keep us active in these difficult times, and for local small grant schemes. The Government recognises that the current public health measures are challenging. However, the imminent disbursement of these funds will assist the sporting bodies and clubs to plan for better times next year.

Under budget 2021, we are providing a further €36 million to Sport Ireland over and above its initial 2020 allocation, bringing its 2021 allocation to almost €105 million. We have also agreed an increase of €2 million in dormant accounts funding for sport allocation, bringing it to €10 million and we will soon open a new round of the sports capital programme, which will offer important opportunities for clubs across the country to enhance their facilities.