Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

This Department has probably come under the most scrutiny as a result of the report of an bord snip nua. An bord snip nua recommended abolishing the Department, discontinuing the RAPID programme, reductions in funding for community and voluntary support and phasing out the CLÁR programme. However, the most damning matter is that the Department of Finance raised fundamental questions to the Minister in written format on whether we are getting value for money from Údarás na Gaeltachta. Údarás na Gaeltachta could not provide information to the Department on how much it was costing per job, on its level of debt and on the amount of grants paid out.

I want to make my own commitment. I am committed to rural Ireland. I am committed to this Department. Fine Gael is committed to rural Ireland, but we are also committed to getting value for money. If the Department of Finance is worried about us not getting value to money, I want to know what the Minister has done since he received the letter from that Department querying his Department on value for money, and what precautions he has put in place. Has the Minister contacted Údarás na Gaeltachta to see whether it can give the Department the information on staffing and on the cost per job? What has he done since that letter was sent to him from the Department of Finance?

See this speech in context