Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

The Leader companies are independent. There has not been a cutback in the Leader programme which, in fact, has been expanded considerably. Money for the partnership programme has been reduced and perhaps it is to this that the Deputy refers. However, that matter is not really the subject of this question. It may also have come to his attention that it is my intention to transfer the functions of Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta, MFG, to Údarás na Gaeltachta over time because I do not see the need for two community-based organisations to be operating in the Gaeltacht. As a result, I am of the view that it would be better to rationalise the position.

Due to the special status of the North-South bodies which are co-funded with the Northern Ireland authorities, the moratorium does not currently apply to them. I understand discussions are under way between the Department of Finance and the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland on whether the moratorium should apply and other related personnel and resource issues such as finalising the 2009 budgets for the North-South bodies and the question of the application of an efficiency saving in Northern Ireland and the early retirement scheme announced by the Government.

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