Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will provide funding under the CLÁR and RAPID programmes for the transport of Mayo people with urgent hospital appointments and with no means of transport and for the upgrading of Ballycroy Health Centre which is in a CLÁR area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15093/07]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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There is no measure under the CLÁR programme to provide for the transport of people with urgent hospital appointments who have no means of transport. CLÁR provides funding for capital projects only and not for day-to-day operational matters.

My Department is holding discussions with the Health Service Executive, HSE, regarding the implementation of the next round of CLÁR's co-funded health measures for 2007-09. The project for the upgrading of the Ballycroy Health Centre should be submitted for consideration to the HSE, western region, Merlin Park Regional Hospital, Galway. The HSE is responsible for the identification and selection of projects in CLÁR areas to be included under the proposed measure for 2007-09.

My Department has no input into the selection of the projects to be funded under the measure. There are no designated RAPID areas in County Mayo.

Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. I heard the Minister say on local radio that there may be money available for people who need transport. Some people must borrow €110 to travel to Galway to have a pacemaker checked. Galway is almost as far from Blacksod in Belmullet as it is from Dublin. Older people cannot afford that price. The Minister for Health and Children told me that it is up to the HSE to deal with this problem, but the HSE says the legislation constrains its managers from any spending that will put it into debt and jeopardise the service. It appears that it will have a surplus of €2.5 million in running the emergency ambulance service so this expenditure would put it into jeopardy. If there is money available in CLÁR, it should be provided if possible because these people have a right to transport. The HSE is willing and able to provide the transport if it has the money.

Ballycroy is in a CLÁR area which has suffered a massive 50% depopulation in 50 years. I greatly welcome the work of the CLÁR programme and congratulate the Minister in that regard. The health centre in Ballycroy is falling down. Neither the practice nurse nor the practice secretary have rooms. I am aware that the Minister is concerned about this hinterland which needs services. There are a plethora of services in other places but the service in Ballycroy is poor due to lack of infrastructure. The Minister agrees that this is the problem. If there was a health centre here, people would receive much better service, including paramedical services such as chiropody, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dental treatment and leg ulcer treatment, etc. The existing health centre dates back to the time when doctors were treating diphtheria and people had to walk to the centre. It urgently needs upgrading. The former health board sold off the surrounding land which was a retrograde step. A new centre is needed and although the HSE must apply, I ask the Minister to consider it seriously.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The law does not allow me to pay current costs because I have only capital funds under CLÁR. I face the same problems in my constituency as the Deputy faces in his area. I have beaten a path to the door of the HSE. It blows my mind how an organisation that has €15 billion a year to spend cannot find a million or two to provide essential basic services for people. I just do not understand it and I never will. While I realise one has to watch budgets, we are never stuck for €100,000 in my Department which only has a budget of half a billion euro. However, doctors differ and patients die, so let us talk about the money that is available. I provided €2.5 million for CLÁR capital projects for 2004-06. To date I have received bills for €1.363 million. That means I still have to get invoices for approximately €1 million. With another €2 million from the HSE that comes to €3 million which we sanctioned in 2004 for the 2004-06 period and we still have not got the work done. One of the projects refers to my own parish where the money was allocated in 2003, but has not been spent. That is very frustrating, with people saying they are short of money. Early in 2006, if not in 2005, we told the HSE we would go again because it takes so long to get these projects through. I met Professor Drumm, eventually, last November, and told him we had money on the table. I told him we were putting up a third of the cost of these capital projects and the HSE should put up two thirds, since they are health initiatives. We subsequently had meetings and it has now been agreed to put a 2007-09 programme in place, although a good part of 2007 has passed already. We have agreed to put €3 million in the kitty, with the HSE contributing €6 million, giving a total of €9 million.

I want to make it clear that I do not select the projects. If the HSE sends me a bundle of eligible projects totalling €9 million, which are in CLÁR areas and come under the top seeding as regards size of initiative so that we get a fair spread and deal with the more isolated areas, as indicated by the Deputy, there will be no delay in sanctioning them. However, I cannot sanction projects that do not come before me. I repeat that I find it hard to reconcile a shortage of funds with an inability to make application for the money that is on the table. The Deputy might be able to explain it as a doctor, but I cannot.

Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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This is one of the richest countries in the world. The Minister referred to a €15 billion spend. The point is that the older people who really need this service are not getting it. I know there is collective responsibility in Cabinet and the Minister is well capable of banging the table. I hope he will bang the table in this regard, bearing in mind that an older person, with no income but his or her pension, has no choice but to borrow €110 to travel to Galway for essential hospital services and get home again, and has no way of getting this money back. It is disgraceful and it is important that the Minister uses whatever time he has left in Government to address this issue.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I absolutely agree with the Deputy that what has happened is totally unsatisfactory. People from the islands, with very serious medical conditions, are not being afforded services to hospitals, but he wants me to bang the wrong table. As he knows, the Oireachtas passed a law giving executive responsibility to the HSE, so that the Minister cannot give a specific instruction in this regard. I will, however, continue to bang the table of the HSE, which has responsibility in this matter. I fully agree with the Deputy and am glad, since he has much more medical expertise than I have, that he is equally dissatisfied with this. It is absolutely wrong and I could not concur with him more. I disagree with him only as regards two points. There is money on the table, but the HSE has not picked it up yet and that is regrettable.

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 41: To ask the Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cad iad na hiarrachtaí atá á ndéanamh ag Údarás na Gaeltachta maidir le tionscail agus fostaíocht a thabhairt go Paróiste Chloich Cheann Fhaola, Dún na nGall. [14982/07]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Mar is eol don Teachta, bíonn iarrachtaí leanúnacha ar siúl ag Údarás na Gaeltachta chun deiseanna fostaíochta agus forbartha a chruthú i ngach ceantar Gaeltachta, Paróiste Chloich Cheann Fhaola ina measc.

Tá torthaí 2006 den suirbhé bliantúil d'fhostaíocht i dtionscadail a fuair cúnamh ón Údarás curtha ar fáil ó thús na bliana seo. Tuigim ón Údarás go léiríonn an suirbhé seo gur tháinig méadú ar an bhfostaíocht i gceantar Chloich Cheann Fhaola le linn 2006, is é, 12 post breise lánaimseartha agus dhá phost breise páirtaimseartha nó séasúrach. Dá réir sin, b'iad na figiúirí dheireadh bliana don pharóiste, na hoileáin mhara san áireamh, ná 132 post lánaimseartha agus 145 post páirtaimseartha nó séasúrach.

Tá béim agus fócas faoi leith á ndíriú ag an Údarás i 2007 ar Eastát an Fhál Charraigh chun tograí nua a aimsiú agus tá cuairteanna suímh ag dul ar aghaidh cheana féin. Tá tograí suntasacha ar bun i nGort an Choirce freisin. Mar shampla, tá ionad forbartha bia agus gorlann tograí bia á bhforbairt i Machaire Rabhartaigh agus breis áiseanna ar nós sólainne agus linn snámha á gcur ar fáil in óstán áitiúil. Cruthófar fostaíocht bhreise sa cheantar de bharr na hinfheistíochta seo.

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht an eolais sin. Tá mé cinnte go dtuigeann an tAire cé chomh tábhachtach agus atá ceantar stairiúil Chloich Cheann Fhaola ó thaobh na Gaeltachta de. Má cuimhníonn an tAire ar na scoileanna sa cheantar, beidh a fhios aige gur cheantar láidir Ghaeilge í Chloich Cheann Fhaola, mar go bhfuil an Ghaeilge mar theanga dhúchais na ndaltaí i Scoil Mhachaire Uí Rabhartaigh, Scoil Chnoc na Naomh i nDoire Chonaire, Scoil Ghort a' Choirce, Scoil Chaiseal na gCorr agus Scoil na gCroisbhealach sa bhFál Carrach. Tá sé de dhualgas orainn tacaíocht eacnamaíochta agus fostaíochta a thabhairt don áit. Cuirim fáilte roimh an 12 post lán-aimseartha agus an deich bpost páirt-aimseartha a cuireadh ar fáil i gCloch Cheann Fhaola i 2006. Má smaoinímid ar na deacrachtaí atá ag an bpobal mór sin maidir leis na tionscail agus an fhostaíocht a bhí ag braith ar acmhainní an Údaráis, is léir go bhfuil siad in ísle bhrí. Tá a fhios ag an Aire nach mbeidh iascaireacht bradáin, fiú amháin, acu i mbliana — tá deireadh curtha leis i Machaire Uí Rabhartaigh, i mBaile an Easa agus ar na hoileáin. Tá an talamhaíocht ag dul in ísle bhrí sa cheantar, cé gur dhúiche mhaith talmhaíochta a bhí ann san am atá thart. Ba mhaith liom iarraidh ar an Aire tréan-iarracht a dhéanamh níos mó fostaíochta a mhealladh isteach sa cheantar fá choinne daoine óga a choinneáil sa bhaile, leanúint ar aghaidh le labhairt na teanga agus an teanga a fhorbairt sa cheantar sin. Deirtear go bhfuil 145 post séasúrach sa cheantar. An bhfuil na daoine sin ag obair i bpostanna turasóireachta — sna hóstáin, mar shampla? An féidir leis an Aire breis eolais a thabhairt?

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Níl eolas cruinn agam faoi sin. Iarrfaidh mé ar Údarás na Gaeltachta an t-eolas a thabhairt don Teachta. Tá mé cinnte go ndéanfar suirbhé i mBaile Átha Cliath ar na postanna déantúsaíochta sa cheantar. Ní dóigh liom go raibh mórán méadú oraibh le blianta beaga anuas, mar go raibh méadaithe mór i bhfostaíocht sna seirbhísí. Caithfimid aghaidh a thabhairt ar na bhfíricí sin i gcomhthéacs na Gaeltachta. Dá bhrí sin, nuair a thosaigh mé a dh'obair mar Aire sa Roinn seo, chuir mé béim mhór ar athrú threo ó thaobh an Údaráis de. Go ginearálta, níl líon na bpostanna déantúsaíochta ag méadú go tréan sa Domhan Thiar, gan trácht ar Éirinn. Is dá bharr sin go bheartaíomar anuraidh ar 30 post a chruthú i nGaoth Dobhair. Tá gach tacaíocht tugtha agam don Údarás chun páirc nua a dhéanamh as eastát tionsclaíochta Ghaoth Dobhair. Tuigim nach bhfuil an paróiste céanna i gceist. Tá sé fíor-thábhachtach go ndéanfaí iarracht postanna a chruthú sna bparóistí — caithfimid an cheist seo a scrúdú. Sa chuid eile den tír, tá daoine ag taisteal deich nó 15 míle chun a chuid oibre a dhéanamh. Má tá fostaíocht gar go leor do dhaoine, in áit atá éasca taisteal chuige, tá sé ceart go leor an fhostaíocht a bheith suite sa cheantar i gcoitinne. Mar a dúirt mé go minic anseo, ní féidir le héinne in aon áit eile ar domhan dul san iomaíocht linn maidir le postanna a bhaineann leis an teanga a chruthú. Mar a luaigh an Teachta, táimid ag caint mar gheall ar cheann de na Gaeltachtaí is láidre sa tír. Tá mé ag smaoineamh ar rudaí ar nós bunú an acadaimh i nGaoth Dobhair nuair a labhraím mar gheall ar an chur chuige nua-aimseartha. Nílimid ag díriú go hiomlán ar dhéantúsaíocht. Tá agus beidh ról ag na tionscail traidisiúnta ó thaobh chinnteacht ioncaim de. Tá ról ag na gcoláistí samhraidh ó thaobh chinnteacht ioncaim agus postanna. Tá láidreacht mhaith déanta i dtalmhaíocht agus iascaireacht, mar shampla, le blianta beaga anuas. Níl an bhuan-fhostaíocht chéanna á cur ar fáil is a bhí uair amháin. Caithfimid breathnú air as an nua. Creidim go bhfuil na deiseanna fostaíochta is mó i rannóg na seirbhísí. Nuair a deirim "seirbhísí", d'fhéadfadh aon chineál seirbhíse a bheith i gceist. Tá sé dúshlánach go maith ag leithéidí d'Údarás na Gaeltachta ó thaobh fostaíochta agus déantúsaíochta de, mar a bhí, mar shampla, i nGaoth Dobhair deich nó 20 bliain ó shin.

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Maidir le seirbhísí, dá mbeadh infheisteoir sa Ghaeltacht agus fonn air gnó éigin bunaithe ar sheirbhísí riachtanacha sa cheantar a chur ar bun, an aontaíonn an tAire liom gur beag cuidiú nó tacaíocht a bheadh ar fáil ó na heagrais Stáit nó a Roinn féin? An bhfuil bac ann go fóill? An é polasaí an Rialtais agus an Údaráis é gan tacaíocht airgid a thabhairt do thionscnaimh ar seirbhísí iad? An mbíonn an fhreagracht orthu féin?

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Go ginearálta, braitheann sé ar an chineál seirbhíse atá ar fáil. Mar shampla, ní bheadh fadhb ar bith ag an Údarás cúnamh a thabhairt maidir le seirbhísí idirnáisiúnta airgeadais. Tá cúnamh tugtha aige do sheirbhísí agus tionscail na Gaeilge ar nós aistriúcháin freisin. Ní thugann sé cúnamh do mhiondíol ar an ngnáthbhealach, áfach. Glactar leis gur "deadweight" é, mar a thugtar air sa mBéarla. Níor cheart go mbeadh deontas ar fáil dó sin, agus bheadh ceisteanna iomaíochta, míchothroim agus mar sin de ag baint leis.

Más maith leis an Teachta, iarrfaidh mé ar Údarás na Gaeltachta a pholasaí i dtaobh seirbhísí a chur chuige chun an cás a mhíniú. Níl an scéal dubh agus bán, mar is léir go gcuireann an tÚdarás airgead ar fáil do sheirbhísí áirithe. Má tá duine ag iarraidh siopa a bhunú, ní chuirtear airgead ar fáil, áfach. Is fearr an t-eolas cruinn ón Údarás a chur chuig an Teachta.

Ag deireadh na bliana 2006, bhí 2,436 duine fostaithe i dtionscail i dTír Chonaill a fuair cúnamh ó Údarás na Gaeltachta. Is é an chomparáid is fearr ar féidir a dhéanamh ná le ceantair taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht. Tá na fadhbanna sa Ghaeltacht scoite amach, ach tá i bhfad níos mó ceantar cosúil leo taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht.