Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I wish to ask the Minister a number of questions. The first concerns jobs losses in the Gaeltacht. He said some 710 jobs were created but forgot to say that we lost 721. We had a gain of ten or 11 jobs in the Gaeltacht areas. Since then we have had major lobs losses in Erris in Belmullet, Donegal and Glenties.

Was the decision to grant a bonus of €3,900 to the head of Údarás na Gaeltachta correct, given the situation the country is in and the job losses it has suffered? Was it approved by the Department of Finance?

I have a very important question. Has the Minister had any bilateral meetings with his colleague, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, on wave and wind energy, in particular in Gaeltacht areas? People are prepared to spend millions of euro. They want to come into Gaeltacht areas and rural Ireland, but the major problem is that we have no national grid.

Has the Minister, Deputy Carey, had meetings with the Minister, Deputy Ryan, to discuss how we will get a national grid and companies into rural Ireland, in particular, and Gaeltacht areas? If he had not had such meetings, will he have them to see how we can create jobs in Gaeltacht areas? It is one way we can do it.

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