Results 4,481-4,500 of 28,255 for speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív

Tax Code. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: There is a slogan, "Think local and act global". The reality is that China or any of those major countries are also made up of little neighbourhoods, and each neighbourhood will say the other neighbourhood should do it. This is a global issue and no country is exempt from doing their bit. Even if our bit is small in global terms, we should do it. The Deputy mentioned farmers. Farmers are...

Tax Code. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: There are farmers in my area but they are small. They do not use a large amount of energy. They are very energy efficient on the farms and they do not have the high intensity costs.

Community Service Programmes. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 7 together. In general, participants on the Department's rural social scheme, RSS, can apply for adult and child dependant allowances, depending on their family circumstances, and also for the free fuel allowance. All of these allowances are payable directly by my Department and the qualifying criteria are generally in line with those applied by the...

Community Service Programmes. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I thank the Deputy for his support for the scheme. It is a success on the ground and I thank those participants in the scheme who did such Trojan work during the bad weather at the start of January. We can be clear about one thing, we have been paying €11.63 per week since 2009. Of that, €4.63 goes directly to paying PRSI, leaving €7. If we multiply that by 50 and add €14, it...

Community Service Programmes. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: If I got extra funding tomorrow, I would leave the materials grant as it is and I would create more positions on the scheme. Everything must be focused for people on the ground. For many communities getting the labour is the major bonus. They can come up with the money for materials if they need it. Often it is not a major requirement because the clubs spend much more per week on...

Community Service Programmes. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The scheme is particularly cost effective. It costs approximately €7,000 more per annum than participants would have received on social assistance. That allows for these all having home income, so a fair number were not getting the full farm assist, which is a means tested scheme. It is a small premium to pay for the extra work we are getting. I note the Deputy's remarks. If local...

Community Service Programmes. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 13 together. During 2009, over 80 different organisations were approved for grants from my Department's community services programme, supporting an additional 300 employment opportunities in the provision of services. As Deputies will appreciate, the pressure on the public finances has significantly impacted on resources available for initiatives...

Community Service Programmes. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As already stated, there are many more people employed on the scheme now than was the case on 1 January. In light of the budgetary position, I faced a decision whereby I could either reducing the number of people in employment, which I was extremely reluctant to do, or cutting the non-wage grant. If my Department had been obliged to examine the 450 projects involved to assess their ability...

Community Service Programmes. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Absolutely. When we assumed responsibility for the programme and carried out the initial review, it emerged that a significant variety of groups were involved. There are some groups in RAPID areas which will find it extremely difficult to create their own incomes. Some others are operating quite substantial tourism projects and have extremely good sources of income. There are still others...

Departmental Expenditure. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 32, 41 and 42 together. As the Deputy is aware, as part of its strategy to manage its way through the current severe economic crisis and to return the country to prosperity, the Government decided, in budget 2010, to reduce spending on public services by almost €1 billion in 2010 compared to the pre-budget Estimates. To the greatest extent possible,...

Departmental Expenditure. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Absolutely. The Deputy will be glad to hear that there have been no further cutbacks. In fact, the Revised Estimate published in the past hour contains a number of small adjustments that are positive in nature. We have been examining every programme in the interests of cutting administrative costs, reducing duplication, etc. The tying up of the local and community development programme,...

Departmental Expenditure. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: With regard to the McCarthy report, if one considers the Department's Estimate now and the Government's clear statement that it is committed to a 20 year strategy for the Irish language, one will accept that the Government did not accept the McCarthy report's recommendations on the Department and has solidified the importance of the Department in the decisions taken. I was always aware that...

Departmental Expenditure. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I am only anxious to help.

Departmental Expenditure. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I have been working on where we go from here with rural development and where the opportunities exist. I am more than willing to debate it at any time in the House. It is important that we have a clear vision of what rural development is about, what type of urban and rural societies we want, and how we see those societies developing. Approximately €6 million in approved Gaeltacht housing...

Departmental Expenditure. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: When one travels throughout the country one can see the fantastic work done on the Shannon and Erne waterways. We have a huge length of waterway. I fully agree with Deputy Wall on the need to continue to develop these resources, not only the boating resources but also the banks. Recently, I brought in all of the State agencies that have major land holdings, including Coillte Teoranta,...

Community Development. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: My Department is carrying out a comprehensive review of arrangements currently in place regarding the structure and funding of various organisations involved in all aspects of community development in the Gaeltacht. The purpose of the review is to ensure greater co-ordination and efficiencies in the delivery of a range of services to Gaeltacht communities by strong community structured...

Community Development. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Deanfaimíd cínnte go bhfuil an dá phobal i gceist. Bhéinn i dtrioblóid dá ndéanfainn dearmad ar ceachtar acu. Tá deontas de €50,000 ceadaithe ag an údarás. Tá Comhlacht Forbartha na nDéise tar éis glacadh le sin. Is ceist don chomhlacht fhéin í cé mhéad daoine a fhostófar ar an €50,000 sin. An bhfuil aon foinse ag an Teachta? Is le haghaidh oifigeach forbartha...

Community Development. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Nuair a bhí mé sna Forbacha, bhí focal agam le muintir na nDéise. Mar is eol don Teachta, cas mé leo nuair a bhí mé i nDún Garbhán roimh an Nollaig. Dúirt mé gur thuig me a gcás. Ó tharla go bhfuil an dá phobal sásta oibriú le chéile, agus go bhfuil na struchtúir acu, tá súil agam socrú buan a dhéanamh an-luath sa bpróiseas. Ní chaithfidh siad fanacht go dtí 1...

Community Development. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Beidh. Tá €50,000 ar fáil ar aon chaoi. Ar ndóigh, caithfidh an socrú nua bheith níos fearr ná sin le teacht in áit roimh an dáta sin. Tá mé cinnte gur mhaith le pobal na nDéise go mbeadh socrú fadtéarmach in áit agus fios acu cá seasann siad go fadtéarmach. Déanfar cinnte de go bhfuil cúram ceart déanta dos na nDéise. Caithfidh mé a rá go bhfuil an-mheas agam ar...

Community Development. (18 Feb 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Tá ceist á fhreagairt faoi sinn inniú. Deputies are debating an Stratéis Fiche Bliain. Allowing that good suggestions are approved by the Government, it will be necessary to introduce new Gaeltacht legislation. I could delay the elections until October but I am not sure if there is much point in an election if we are introducing new legislation which would require us to rerun it in a...