Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an buiséad a fógraíodh inné. Ní cur chuige imscaoilte atá i gceist sa bhuiséad seo. Tá an buiséad seo ag díriú orthu siúd is mó a buaileadh le ciorraithe agus méaduithe ar cháin roimhe seo, ar nós gardaí, altraí, seirbhísí túslíne agus teaghlaigh ar ioncam íseal nó ar mheánioncam. Bhí na daoine sin ag croílár an téarnaimh agus buaileadh go holc iad mar gheall air sin. Tá sé ríthábhachtach go mbainfidh siad tairbhe as an téarnamh anois agus go mbeidh an tairbhe sin le feiceáil acu ina bpócaí féin.

In total, my Department will have almost €42 million to spend on the Irish language, the Gaeltacht and the islands in 2015. In addition to this amount, a further €13.44 million will be provided for An Foras Teanga, the North-South language body that operates under the auspices of the Department and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in the North. These are indicative figures, subject to the Estimates being approved and the agreement of the North South Ministerial Council, NSMC, in the case of An Foras Teanga.

Overall, it is welcome that the amount being allocated to these subheads remains largely unchanged from last year. In fact, in some cases, such as the 20 year strategy and the office of An Coimisinéir Teanga, additional moneys are being provided. This is particularly welcome when we consider the tight budgetary framework within which all Departments are required to operate in order to fulfil the Government’s commitment to continued economic growth through fiscal prudence.

I welcome the increased allocation which will enable the Department to continue various measures aimed at supporting the language planning process on the ground. This includes support for community organisations to assist them in preparing and implementing language plans under the Gaeltacht Act 2012. A number of other innovative projects will also be supported, particularly in the language technology sector. It is important to note that while there has been a specific budget line for the strategy since last year, most of the expenditure under subheads C and D of the Department’s Vote is related to the implementation of the strategy in one way or another.

Chomh maith leis an allúntas sonrach don straitéis, cuirim fáilte roimh an leithdháileadh de €6.1 milliún do scéimeanna tacaíochta Gaeltachta mo Roinne agus €3.6 milliún do scéimeanna tacaíochta Gaeilge mo Roinne taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht. Ligfidh na hallúntais seo dom leanúint ar aghaidh ag cosaint na seirbhísí túslíne sna réimsí seo, ar nós na teaghlaigh a chuireann lóistín ar fáil do na scoláirí a bhíonn ag freastal ar choláistí Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht.

I am also delighted to announce that a sum of €5.9 million will be available again in 2015 for transport services to the islands. This will enable the Department to continue to fund the provision of essential transport services to the offshore islands.

Maidir leis an allúntas caipitil a bheidh le caitheamh ag mo Roinn in 2015, beidh €1.422 milliún le caitheamh ar áiseanna pobail agus teanga sa Ghaeltacht. Beidh allúntas de €644,000 le caitheamh ar chothabháil infreastruchtúir ar na hoileáin.

With regard to the agencies which come under the Department, they will have adequate provision in 2015 to enable them to continue to carry out their statutory functions. In regard to Údarás na Gaeltachta, a current allocation of €11.798 million will be available to it from the Exchequer in 2015, in addition to its own sources of funding. Out of the current allocation from the Exchequer, €8.798 million will be available for its administration budget and €3 million for its current budget, from which its language based activities and organisations in the Gaeltacht are funded.

Beidh allúntas caipitil de €5.687 milliún ar fáil ag Údarás na Gaeltachta ón Státchiste in 2015, mar aon le foinsí maoinithe an údaráis féin ó dhíol sócmhainní agus infheistíochtaí. Idir allúntas an Státchiste agus acmhainní an údaráis féin, tá mé cinnte go mbeidh an t-údarás ag leanúint air ag cruthú poist nua sa Ghaeltacht agus ag cosaint na bpost atá ann faoi láthair.

A budget of €13.444 million will be available in 2015 for An Foras Teanga, subject to agreement by the NSMC. This is a modest reduction of just 1% on the amount allocated in 2014.

Beidh allúntas de €650,000 curtha ar fáil d'Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga. Is léiriú é an méadú de €83,000, nó 15%, ar allúntas na bliana 2014 ar thiomantas an Rialtais a chinntiú go leanfaidh an oifig sin ar aghaidh ag cur a feidhmeanna reachtúla i gcrích le linn 2015.

The Government's commitment to the Irish language, the Gaeltacht and the islands is clearly evident in the allocation proposed for my Department in 2015. This provision means that the Department is in a position to continue to prioritise implementation of the 20 year strategy, as well as providing support for the Irish language, Ulster-Scots, Gaeltacht and island communities through the wide range of activities funded by the Department and its agencies.

Ba mhaith liom a rá fosta go leanfaidh mise ar aghaidh ag déanamh cás láidir d'acmhainní breise sna seachtainí amach romhainn lena chinntiú go mbeidh na huirlisí uilig ar fáil ag an Roinn seo chun an obair atá ar siúl cheana féin a chaomhnú agus chun forbairtí eile a chur ar bun amach anseo. Tá deiseanna ar dóigh ag teacht chun cinn sa Ghaeltacht agus tá sé le feiceáil go soiléir go bhfuil an cumas ann poist a chruthú. Tá mé tiomanta go hiomlán ár gclár oibre a bhrú chun cinn i ndáil le tábhacht agus ábharthacht na Gaeilge a mhéadú agus daoine a spreagadh, idir óg agus aosta, chun an teanga a úsáid.

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