Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

I will make a general point in relation to LEADER because it is important. As the Deputy will know, LEADER is co-funded with the European Union. That brings an extra level of complexity in terms of reporting and administration, which we try to minimise for the local action groups, LAGs. This means we have to take them on in the Department. We are not fully in control of the application and reporting processes because of that. The funding to LEADER that comes from the European Union is provided in the context of the European Union budget, which is being discussed at the moment. Work on the medium-term financial framework will be under way in 2026. LEADER is part of that discussion. We have to make sure we have a ring-fenced LEADER allocation within the Common Agricultural Policy for rural communities. As the Deputy has said, it is vitally important. I am travelling to Strasbourg next week for a range of meetings, including a meeting with Irish MEPs about the importance of maintaining LEADER and the budget for it. In fairness to the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, he is working very hard for us. The Minister, Deputy Heydon, is also very much aware of this, as was the Tánaiste when he was Minister for foreign affairs. I have no doubt the Minister, Deputy McEntee, will also be very aware of it.

I will come back to the Deputy on those two issues relating to LIS but it is important that we have rules because we will otherwise never get to the backlog and people in very bad situations will be left waiting. The restrictions are in place to give us a chance at getting to the worst situations. This year, €464,765 was initially allocated to LIS in Kildare. That was increased by a further €102,097, bringing the total figure to €566,862.

With regard to Athy, it would be really good and worthwhile for the committee to see the Shackleton Experience in Athy as an example of what this Department is doing in its work with local communities and Kildare County Council. I am sure Deputy Wall would host the committee. It is an extraordinary and really amazing project. It has regenerated an old building in the middle of the town. It was done to the highest standards and came in on budget. I really encourage the committee to have a look at it. It is not that far away. It just shows you where we want to go. This project is a game-changer for Athy and is in line with another project the Department funds in the town, the food hub. Athy has been reimagined as a consequence of it, even on the football field.

In relation to cúrsaí Gaeilge, we all have Irish, we just need to use it. As I said to somebody earlier this morning, even if you only have three or words, if you use those three or four words every day, they will become ten or 11 words. Tá Gaeilge ag gach duine. It may be deep down, but it is there and should be used. We have just delivered the biggest increase for the Irish language since 2008 for 2026. It is a 29% increase in the Gaeltacht and islands budget, including a 22% increase on the Gaeltacht side of things. That compares with an 8% increase in overall Government expenditure. I was able to deliver a 22% increase for the Department of Social Protection. We will be able to deal with a lot of the issues we dealt with earlier. I am very focused on the Gaeltacht. It is amazing to see the energy that is out there at the moment. It is being driven by young people. Groups such as the conradh have done great work. The officials in the Gaeltacht section of my Department have been working very hard on this for many years. Through this increase, we will fund a number of initiatives including initiatives for Gaeltacht Gaeilge-speakers and Gaeilge-speakers in non-Gaeltacht areas, Irish language support groups and so on. We will be able to increase funding by working with colleagues in Foras na Gaeilge and an conradh. I am very confident we will be able to invest significant money. I encourage every Deputy to take part in the ciorcal comhrá here in Leinster House, which is run every few months. It is definitely worthwhile to take part in that.