Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Mansergh for raising this matter and the Cathaoirleach for giving me the opportunity to come to the House to place on record the Government's position on the supports we are providing, in partnership with the Northern Ireland authorities, for the Ulster Scots Agency.

By way of background, the North-South Language Body was set up as one of the North-South Implementation Bodies established in 1999 under the Good Friday Agreement. It comprises two distinct agencies, Tha Boord o Ulstèr-Scotch — the Ulster Scots Agency — and Foras na Gaeilge. Each of these agencies has a separate board and the two boards together constitute the board of the overall North-South Language Body. The chairpersons of the agencies are the joint chairs of the North-South Language Body, otherwise known as Tha Boord o Leid in Ulster Scots and An Foras Teanga in Irish.

Under the founding legislation North and South, the role of the Ulster Scots Agency is the "promotion of greater awareness and use of Ullans and of Ulster-Scots cultural issues, both within Northern Ireland and throughout the island." The agency is jointly funded by the two Governments. The total budget for the Ulster Scots Agency was €2.4 million in 2003 and the southern contribution towards the 2003 allocation was €600,000. Some debate took place in 2003 as regards funding, which was cut in the Estimates of that year. The effect, however, was much greater on the Irish language element of the North-South Language Body, which lost approximately 15 times more funding. The money was restored later in the year and the reason for the delay was due to negotiations in the peace process.

The Ulster Scots Agency's overall budget for 2004 is €2.47 million, an increase of almost 11% on the 2003 allocation. By agreement between the two jurisdictions North and South, funding for each agency is supplied in the ratio 75:25. In the case of the Ulster Scots Agency the southern contribution is 25%, which amounted to €618,000 in 2004, and the northern contribution 75%. In the case of Foras na Gaeilge, which receives much greater funding because the Irish Government is willing to allocate a considerable amount to the organisation, the ratio is reversed.

The Ulster Scots Agency would like to obtain more money from both Governments. I am not giving away any sensitive North-South secrets when I say that, nor am I stating anything that could not be said on behalf of any of the North-South implementation bodies or public body whose representatives I have ever met. Any application for increased funding from anyone must, in line with universal good practice, be supported by a robust business case. In the case of the Ulster Scots Agency, the two funding Departments must be satisfied that any business case submitted must be grounded within the statutory role of the agency, which is the "promotion of greater awareness and use of Ullans and of Ulster-Scots cultural issues, both within Northern Ireland and throughout the island".

As the Senator will be aware, there is an additional key consideration of which both funding Departments must be mindful. Since the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the North-South implementation bodies have being operating on a care and maintenance basis, which has precluded the development of any new functions. The Ulster Scots Agency finds itself in a position, therefore, in which in addition to the need to present a robust business case, it must be able to show that any request for additional funding relates to sustaining and developing existing functions. I am aware that the agency, in common with many others, including the Irish Government, have found this situation frustrating. We all look forward to seeing devolved government back up and running in Northern Ireland and Senator Mansergh will know how hard both the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen, are working with the British Government and all the parties involved to bring about the circumstances in which that can happen.

I am sympathetic to the Ulster Scots Agency's desire for greater funding, a matter which is decided jointly by the two Governments on recommendations of the appropriate Departments. Due to the sensitivities of the issues, particular last year — I rejoined the Department in 2002 — I did not take a proactive part in either of the North-South Language Bodies. We are now in a much more stable political situation and it is my intention to become much more actively involved in the language bodies because we cannot allow matters to drift for either of them. Subject to budgetary constraints and agreement between the two Governments, I will be willing to consider reasonable demands.

I wish to place on record the regret with which I and my opposite number, Ms Angela Smith MP, the Minister with responsibility for the language body in Northern Ireland, learned of the recent resignation of the chairperson of the Ulster Scots Agency, Lord Laird of Artigarvan. He had provided leadership to the agency since his appointment and had played an important role in promoting the Ulster Scots culture and language in the North of Ireland. I am more than happy to reiterate the comments in our joint statement in response to the resignation, namely, that we both wanted to assure the Ulster Scots Agency and the wider Ulster Scots community, that we will continue to play a full role in helping to promote the Ulster Scots culture and language, in line with the commitment given in the Good Friday Agreement.