Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 37: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the recent funding of €17,000 to the Dublin City Business Association to display Irish language Christmas lights will be extended to cities and towns throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42867/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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This grant was awarded to the Dublin City Business Association under the fochiste gnó. This scheme, which was announced by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on 26 November 2005, was open to applicants throughout the country. It is intended that the scheme will be advertised again early in 2007. Applications which meet the criteria for the scheme will be considered in the context of the available allocation at that time.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. I have seldom read a more enthusiastic or euphoric press statement from any Minister than the statement that was issued on 21 November last by the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, about this lighting scheme. He said at the lighting-up ceremony that the lights represent much more than simply "Nollaig Shona". He said that they stand for the increasing re-awakening of interest in the Irish language in Dublin. He went on to describe the lights as symbolising the forthcoming global shedding of light on the Irish language. He was referring to the official languages initiative at EU level, which will begin on 1 January next.

The Minister sees this initiative as being so productive, all-embracing and symbolic that it is not enough for him to tell us he will advertise the scheme. I am not sure that business associations in cities and towns throughout the country are aware that funding is available for projects of this nature. Will the Minister consider making it known to such associations that money is available for this worthwhile initiative? I note there has been an increase of 18%, to €1.5 million, in the Estimates for the cultural and social schemes this year. If schemes like that are so productive, the Minister should do much more to highlight the fact that such funding is available.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with the Deputy. We do our best through press releases and contacting various projects to make people aware of these schemes but sometimes people apply because they know a grant is available. What struck me as being important in this case was that the people involved, the business traders in Dublin, got the idea of having the slogans on the Christmas lights in Irish. They approached our Department looking for help and we pointed out that we have this fochoiste gnó. They did not do it for the grant; they did it because they believed it was something that should be done. The money we gave was modest compared to the total cost of the lights. All we paid for was the part of the lights that had the Irish on them; the total cost was €16,687. What was important was that the business people of Dublin, who invested hundreds of thousands of euro in these lights, thought it would be a good idea to use the Irish language to make Dublin different. That was the point they made. That indicates a positive shift in attitudes. That is the reason I felt this was so important. Money is available and I take on board what the Deputy said. We normally expect the chambers of commerce, business associations and the local authorities to match our funding. I will examine the possibility of getting a list of all the chambers of commerce and local authorities and writing to them indicating we are re-advertising the scheme. Nobody will be able to say they did not know about it. I would like more people to come forward with their projects but they must come up with the matching funding as well. It is a three-pronged approach.