Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

Táim buíoch as an deis labhairt faoin ábhar tábhachtach seo. Agus sinn ag tabhairt aghaidh ar na dúshláin éagsúla atá romhainn, thar aon rud eile ní foláir dúinn dóchas a bheith againn. Ní féidir dóchas a bheith againn gan cinnteacht a bheith againn. Is dóigh liom go dtugann an mbuiséad seo an chinnteacht sin dúinn.

This budget faces up to the reality of the current economic situation. A vote for this budget was a vote to ensure that we have the money to pay for our vital public services in areas such as health, social welfare and education. These are the facts, and no amount of wishful thinking or political posturing will alter those facts.

As Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs my primary concern in budget 2011, and that of my Ministers of State, was to make every effort to ensure that the daily front line services provided with funding from my Department were protected, especially those focused on the needs of the most socially deprived communities. This reflects my strong belief that the development of real and sustainable communities is vital to the social and economic fabric of our society. Every saving that can be made from cutting down on overheads will be pursued to ensure that the urban, rural, Gaeltacht and island communities we serve retain, to the greatest extent possible, the services that have been developed in partnership with them over the years.

Regarding the community and voluntary sector, the overall adjustment of 16% will apply to spending in the community and voluntary area. My Department will continue to prioritise front line services in the coming year. A total of €80 million has been provided to support the development of communities in this year's budget.

I want to pay tribute to all of those people the length and breadth of the country who not just in the past two weeks, but day in and day out, have worked might and main to make sure their communities are better and stronger. It was welcome to see the activities of communities, particularly in the past two weeks of very difficult weather conditions. It was encouraging to see those organisations that received modest enough funding from our Department contribute hugely to the great community effort that remains the hallmark of Irish society.

In order to protect the invaluable work being done at the front line by community and voluntary groups, my Department will begin a formal process of consultation with the sector in the new year. That is something I promised we would do and it is being done in consultation with them, and indeed at their instigation. The purpose of this structured dialogue will be to ensure that the impacts of any budgetary adjustments to the services provided by the sector are minimised. Far more important than the minimising of the budgetary cuts is that the shared objectives of all the partners in the community development process can be realised. It has happened successfully in other parts of Europe and I believe it can be done here.

The 2011 allocation of €80 million will continue to facilitate supports for communities through the local and community development programme, volunteering initiatives and the funding scheme for national community and voluntary organisations. I know the community and voluntary sector can continue to play a pivotal role in developing our communities and in protecting the most vulnerable members of our society.

In the past year there has been considerable debate among the community development practitioners in the country about the best way forward. I believe the new integration process is bedding down well. I know it may require some further time to bed in fully and it is for that reason some additional time may be required in order for that to happen.

A new funding scheme for the key community and voluntary organisations will be advertised shortly. The three year scheme that is ending on 31 December was a very successful one. It has been evaluated and calls for proposals for funding from that particular budget head will be invited shortly and I am aware there will be the usual interesting mix of organisations who will be coming forward. On that note, I will be encouraging the greatest possible level of collaboration and co-operation between those organisations. It is happening already but I want that to continue and develop even further.

The seniors alert scheme, which supports older people to continue to live securely in their homes, will continue in 2011 following its successful introduction earlier this year. We will be making €2.4 million available next year to assist groups to purchase and install safety and security equipment in the homes of our older citizens. That is a larger figure than was made available this year.

A total of €33.8 million is being made available in the context of the National Drugs Strategy 2009-16. Of that, €32.8 million is current expenditure, with the remaining €1 million available for capital projects. I made it clear when I was appointed to this Department that I would seek to protect the resources devoted to supporting drugs task forces and delivering the national drugs strategy. The reduction in this area will be just over 1% this year. I am aware of the pressures faced by the sector given the level of reductions in recent years and I also recognise the very significant expansion of services during 2010. I want to acknowledge and thank all of those who have contributed to that particular process in the past year, certainly since I was appointed. There is a remarkable change in the level and diversity of service provision in the entire drugs task force area, and I believe that will continue. Next year we will be aligning the drugs strategy with a new alcohol misuse strategy, and I look forward to starting the implementation of that at the beginning of next year.

I am confident that the protection given in budget 2011 to the 480 community-based drugs projects funded through my Department will allow their work to continue in the next year. The Family Support Agency and the family resource centres, which are doing invaluable work the length and breadth of this country, will also continue with their programmes. The counselling and bereavement programmes which have been so successful and which are in such great demand will continue. They will be at a slightly reduced rate but they will continue to be available.

A total of €62 million is being allocated to the Leader programme in budget 2011. That is a significant increase on the original €40 million allocated in 2010. That will ensure that this programme continues to transform the social and economic fabric of rural Ireland. It clearly shows the Government's ongoing commitment to rural Ireland and the vital part it plays in the social and economic life of our country.

I had the pleasure of working with the 36 local action groups who deliver the rural development programme across the country. They have been very successful in disbursing significant financial resources to rural communities. It was a pleasure to be able to ask for a Supplementary Estimate of €8 million to be made available to them in recent weeks. The spend for 2010 has been increased to €48 million. I compliment the work those organisations are doing.

The projects funded through the programme directly address issues that impact on the social and economic fabric of rural communities, including the creation of employment and enterprise. It is expected that over the period of the programme 12,000 sustainable jobs will have been created as well as a significant number of spin off jobs. The way things are going at the moment I have no doubt that the figure of 12,000 will be exceeded. Many of the groups are already providing valuable training opportunities in rural communities to increase skill levels to help the building of sustainable communities in rural Ireland. The programme also continues to fund the provision of the community halls and meeting places that are so vital to the social cohesion of rural Ireland.

Bhí an cur chuige céanna againn maidir le cúrsaí Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta. Nílim ag séanadh go mbeidh na ciorruithe dian, ach déanfar na seirbhísí is tábhachtaí - na seirbhísí duine le duine, nó túslíne - a chosaint. Mar shampla, tá an cistiú a chuirtear ar fáil chun tacú le seirbhísí ríthábhachtacha do phobail na n-oileáin á choimeád ag an leibhéal reatha de €5.7 milliún. Déanfaidh an cinneadh seo cosaint ar na seirbhísí farantóireachta atá riachtanach do phobail na n-oileáin. Ní bheidh ach laghdú beag de 50 cent ar an íocaíocht a fhaigheann mná tí na Gaeltachta faoi scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge. Leanfaimid ag déanamh forbairt ar na coláistí samhraidh, a bhfuil an oiread sin tábhacht ag baint leo. Leanfar chomh maith leis na campaí samhraidh agus scéim na gcúntóirí teanga. Beidh na scéimeanna seo riachtanach agus sinn ag féachaint chun cinn ar fheidhmiú an straitéis 20 bliain don Ghaeilge, a fhoilseofar go luath. Leanfar freisin leis an bhforbairt ar ché Chill Rónáin ar Inis Mór. Leanfar le forbairt ionaid pobail agus teaghlaigh ar an gCeathrú Rua i gConamara, i mBaile na Finne i nDún na nGall agus ar an bhFeothanach i gCiarraí.

Cuirfear cistiú os cionn €40 milliún ar fáil don Ghaeltacht agus do na hoileáin i 2011, €19.6 milliún d'Údarás na Gaeltachta san áireamh. Is fíor nach mbeidh an méid céanna acmhainní is a bhí ar fáil sa ghearrthréimhse, go háirithe ó thaobh airgead caipitil de. Mar Aire, tá mé agus tá an Rialtas bródúil as an infheistíocht shuntasach atá déanta agus atá fós á dhéanamh againn sa Ghaeltacht agus sa Ghaeilge. Mar a dúirt mé, tá laghdú tagtha ar mhaoiniú sa ghearrthréimhse ach níl aon mhaolú tagtha ar dháiríreacht an Rialtais maidir lenar sprioc líon na gcainteoirí laethúla Gaeilge a mhéadú ó 83,000 faoi láthair go 250,000 faoi cheann 20 bliain. Níl aon amhras orm ach gur féidir linn an sprioc sin a bhaint amach. Beidh impleachtaí ag an mbuiséad seo do chách. Ní chóir dúinn géilleadh don éadóchas. Níl an cath caillte. Tá mé cinnte gur féidir linn teacht slán ó na fadhbanna atá againn faoi láthair mar thír níos láidre agus níos cothroime.

See this speech in context