Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his plans to give the rural social scheme programme funding to Údarás na Gaeltachta. [16671/09]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the rural social scheme provides a supplementary income to certain categories of low-income farming and fishing families. The scheme is operated by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on an almost nationwide basis. It is managed at local level by the integrated local development companies. In Gaeltacht areas, it is managed by the relevant companies in conjunction with Údarás na Gaeltachta. In the current economic climate, all aspects of the operation of the scheme are under review. I am considering whether it might be more efficient for Údarás na Gaeltachta to be responsible for the management of the rural social scheme throughout the Gaeltacht.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge that efficiencies are needed in every scheme operated by every Department, particularly in the current economic climate. There is some concern in this instance. The rural social scheme is one of the best schemes being run by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The manner in which it is being operated by Údarás na Gaeltachta, Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta and other groups is working well. Is the Minister thinking about taking responsibility for the scheme from Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta and giving sole responsibility for it to Údarás na Gaeltachta? If so, will legislation need to be introduced in this House? What is the Minister's thinking? Has he had discussions with Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta? I am concerned about the employment implications of such a move. Would it lead to many job losses in the community sector? If Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta officials lose their jobs, Údarás na Gaeltachta will not be able to take them on as a consequence of the Minister for Finance's embargo on public service recruitment. Can the Minister reassure those who are implementing the rural social scheme that their jobs are safe? Does he intend to disband this element of Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta and re-establish it within Údarás na Gaeltachta?

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta is responsible for administering the rural social scheme in some parts of the Gaeltacht. Údarás na Gaeltachta is responsible for administering it in other Gaeltacht areas.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I know that.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I do not see any sense in that. The relevant Leader company administers it everywhere else. The Gaeltacht is different. It is the only part of the country with an elected statutory authority. I said quite clearly in a previous reply that I intend to give Údarás na Gaeltachta wide powers in the Gaeltacht. It is intended that the saoistí, or supervisors, and the oibritheoirí, or workers, on the rural social scheme will transfer lock, stock and barrel to the Údarás na Gaeltachta schemes. Údarás na Gaeltachta already operates the community employment schemes in the Gaeltacht. I am proposing that a single body will run the community employment scheme and the rural social scheme in the Gaeltacht. I believe that would represent a coherent way of doing the job.

I would like to focus briefly on employment. The administration of money is the only issue at stake. Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta will get €97,000 in administration funds this year. Údarás na Gaeltachta will get €92,000 this year for administering the scheme on behalf of the Department. If the scheme transfers over, we would obviously hope to make a little bit of a saving. Most of the money will transfer to Údarás na Gaeltachta to fund the administration of the scheme. That is what will happen. I have heard suggestions to the effect that 60 people will lose their jobs. If somebody can employ 60 people for €97,000 a year, good luck to them. I wish they would explain to me how it can be done. When I returned to my office in Dublin on Sunday — I happened to be in Dublin, so I came in to do a few hours of work — there was an e-mail waiting for me. The e-mail, which argued that I would be absolutely right to give total responsibility for this scheme across the Gaeltacht to Údarás na Gaeltachta, came from the south of the country.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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It is interesting to hear that the Minister does not observe the sabbath.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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One would not want to, in this job.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Why should we be impressed by the communication to which the Minister alluded, when we do not know who the mystery person who sent it is? What exactly is happening here? Are statutory measures or legislation necessary to allow the Minister to bring this sort of amalgamation into effect? Is this something that will be done on the drip, by stealth? Will it have to be addressed in the new Údarás na Gaeltachta legislation? I find it difficult to understand this trend. What exactly is the Minister doing? Does he intend to gradually remove funding from Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta so that resources are sent in the direction of Údarás na Gaeltachta?

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I think the Deputy has got the drift of it, more or less. This, in itself, does not need legislation. Contracts have been given out for the first part of the rural social scheme, which is already being operated by Údarás na Gaeltachta, so it is obvious that no legislation will be needed for the second part of the scheme. Basically, we have given a contract to a group to run the scheme over a fixed period of time. When that contract comes to an end, we intend to agree the next contract with Údarás na Gaeltachta only. Some details of that have yet to be worked out.

We have explained this openly. As I wanted to make sure the two relevant parties were absolutely clear about what I was doing, I met representatives of both of them last Friday. When I met the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta in its offices, I discussed the whole issue and outlined the Department's vision for the future of Údarás na Gaeltachta. I reminded those present of the original concept that led to the establishment of Údarás na Gaeltachta. It was set up as a Gaeltacht authority, comprising local elected representatives, with a wide range of powers. The members of the board seemed very positive about my plans. I can give the Deputy a copy of the statement they issued after the meeting, which outlined their views on what I had said to them.

I also had a meeting with the board of Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta in the presence of the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta. When one meets the two boards together, one suddenly realises that Údarás na Gaeltachta is represented on the board of Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta. Four of those who attended the first meeting as representatives of Údarás na Gaeltachta attended the second meeting wearing two hats. In addition, one of the staff members of Údarás na Gaeltachta is on the board of Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta. The two boards are not totally separate. There are strong ties between them.

I explained the direction of my policy in this regard in some detail. I argued that the Gaeltacht needs a single strong statutory authority that runs a wide range of projects. That is what was envisaged by those who fought strenuously for the establishment of Údarás na Gaeltachta in the first instance. That is exactly what I intend to do.

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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An aontaíonn an Aire liom go raibh bua amháin ag Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta maidir leis na cursaí seo? Eagraíocht deonach is ea Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta. Bhunaigh an phobal an meitheal ar bhonn deonach. Tá taithí na mblianta ag an meitheal ag láimhseáil na scéimeanna seo. Tá sé deacair daoine a bhfuil taithí den sórt sin acu, agus seirbhís den chineál sin tugtha acu, a ligint chun siúil. Nuair atá an atheagrú déanta, an mbeidh na dreamanna go léir atá ag obair le Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta — ag eagrú na scéimeanna seo, mar shampla — fostaithe mar atá siad faoi láthair? An é nach mbeidh aon obair ar fáil do chuid acu? Tá éiginnteacht ann, tá sé ar Raidió na Gaeltachta gach maidin, tá an tAire féin á phlé, tá sé le cloisteáil i gceantar an Aire féin, cur i gcás dreamanna cosúil le Cumas i gConamara. Cén ról a bheidh ag an fhoireann ansin sa todhchaí?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Tá an Teachta ag leathnú na ceiste.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Níl aon fhoireann ag Cumas.

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Foireann atá deonach.

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Níl aon fhoireann fostaithe ag Cumas. B'fhéidir go bhfuil an comhlacht ann ach níl aon fhoireann ann. Ba sheafóid a rá go raibh foireann Chumas ag iarraidh bheith istigh i gcomhráite ar bith mar níl a leithéid de rud ann. Tá siad ar fad aistrithe isteach mar fhostaithe de chuid MFG de réir an eolais atá ag mo Roinn. Cé a sheolfaidh MFG chuig cainteanna? Is ceist do MFG í sin agus dá leagfainn síos mar Aire cé a sheolfadh an comhlacht mar thoscaireachtaí bheadh an freasúra ag rá liom go bhfuil an tAire ag cur ladair isteach ró-dhomhan sa scéal.

Bímse i gcónaí faoi chúrsaí fostaíochta. Sin an fáth gur chas mé leis an dá phríomhfheidhmeannach i mí na Samhna 2008 le comhráite a chur ar bun go bhféadaimís na rudaí seo a láimhseáil ar an bhealadh is cineálta agus is tuisceanaí agus is féidir. Goilleann sé go mór orm go pearsanta mar dhuine a bhfuil cúram daoine orm nach raibh MFG an-pháirteach sna comhráite sin ó shin. Ceann de na fáthanna gur chas mé le bord MFG an lá faoi dheireadh ná le haibhsiú orthu gurbh fhearr bheith istigh sa phróiseas, áit ina mbeadh duine in ann tionchar a imirt air, ná a bheith ag cur in aghaidh rudaí atá ag dul a tharlú.

Mura bhfuil an iomarca foirne ag plé le scéimeanna éagsúla, níl i gceist fáil réidh le haon scéim atá ann, tá i gceist iad a aistriú. Chiallódh sin go mbeadh foireann ag teastáil leis na scéimeanna seo a ghníomhú. Mar sin, go loighiciúil, bheadh ceisteanna foirne le plé ach ní fhéadfadh foireann an údaráis mar atá sé, mura bhfuil barraíocht foirne ar fad ann leis na cúraimí atá acu faoi láthair, an iliomad scéimeanna nua a láimhseáil gan comhréiteach éigin. Is iad na comhráite sin atá mé ag iarraidh a thosú le sé mhí anuas agus impím ar MFG inniu dul isteach sna comhráite sin agus páirt iomlán a ghlacadh ann.