Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil don Seanadóir Ó Domhnaill as ucht an rún seo a chur faoi bhráid an tSeanaid. Tá an freagra as Béarla, ach cuirfidh mé Gaeilge ar an chéad chuid de, más féidir liom. Comhlacht áitiúil do ghaeltachtaí is ea Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta Teoranta, go mórmhór do ghaeltachtaí ins na contaetha seo a leanas, Corcaí, Ciarraí, Dún na nGall, Gaillimh, Muigheó, Mí agus Port Láirge.

MFG was an independent company with its own board of management and memorandum and articles of association which had responsibility under company law for the proper stewardship of the company. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has no role in the internal operations of local development-partnership companies. However, MFG was under contract to the Department and operated a number of programmes both for it and other Departments. Programmes delivered by it for it included rural walkways, the rural development programme, RDP, Leader, and the local and community development programme, LCDP. MFG ceased trading on 7 September 2011 and is going though a company liquidation process.

We understand the difficulty the recent dissolution of the company presents for the staff and project promoters in Gaeltacht areas. However, it is incumbent on the Minister and the Department to ensure any solution arrived at will ensure the continued effective delivery of services in Gaeltacht areas previously supplied by the company. Such services must be delivered in the most efficient manner possible and in compliance with all legal obligations, including national and EU obligations.

No final decisions have been made on an alternative delivery mechanism for RDP support in Gaeltacht areas. When determining alternative delivery mechanisms for the RDP and other programmes, there are complex legal and contractual issues to be resolved. The Department is considering both long and short-term solutions to allow the continued delivery of the RDP and other programmes in Gaeltacht areas.

I can confirm that significant progress is being made. All relevant RDP, Leader, project files have been released by the liquidator and are now with the Department and all project promoters will be contacted shortly. The Department has had discussions with the European Commission and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on the RDP and is working with them to ensure any solutions will be regulatory compliant. It is the intention of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, to find a solution that will be efficient and effective and applied at the earliest possible opportunity. All relevant stakeholders will be notified once a suitable solution is determined.