Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

In the first instance, the companies to which the Deputy refers are not the subject of the question. The second point I would make is that they are private companies and, therefore, it is their own business as to who they hire and fire, etc. As I informed Deputy O'Shea, it is intended that over time and as the various contracts for the programmes in which we are involved with them are terminated to transfer responsibility for the programmes to Údarás na Gaeltachta. The rural social scheme will be the first such programme to be transferred. I seem to remember Deputy Ring - and the House - being very much in favour of this rationalisation on the basis that both of us recognised having duplicate organisations in the one area is superfluous. We could mention a certain town in County Mayo that has a good many offices belonging to various agencies, all funded by my Department.

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