Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom dá bhféadfaimid díospóireacht a bheith againn leis an Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta i bhfianaise an scéala atá ag teacht amach ar maidin, gur cuireadh os cionn €8 milliún de bhuiséad na Roinne sin ar ais isteach sa Státchiste anuraidh nuair nár caitheadh é.

I call for a debate with the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in light of reports on a tourism website this morning that €8 million of the Department's budget was not spent last year. One could argue the Minister did a good job in saving a few bob, except that many groups, individuals and organisations have had their funding cut or have been told when seeking funding that money was not available. This has resulted in film festivals being cancelled, theatre projects being shelved, publishers losing funding, ferry services to Inis Mór being reduced because, we were told, there was not enough money available and very little money being made available for the 20-year strategy. Co-operatives in the Gaeltacht are seeking more funding and capital funding to Údarás na Gaeltachta, which was severely cut by the previous Government, has not been restored. Some of these savings could have been used to increase funding to an adequate level.

We are informed that part of the reason for the underspend was the lack of progress with Teach an Phiarsaigh in Rosmuc. If that is the case, why has the project not progressed quickly enough? The Seanad has been debating this issue for the past four and a half years. Teach an Phiarsaigh was closed early this year and staff were not available to work in it in September.

It strikes me that there may well be questions regarding management and leadership in the Department. Perhaps the departmental budget was not tracked properly during the year and when the €8 million became available at the end of the year management did not know what to do with it. That is not acceptable from either a senior Minister or Minister of State. The House should have a debate on the management of funding in the Department because it is certainly not good enough.

An tUltach, which produces a magazine, waged a campaign to try to secure funding of €20,000 during the year but was turned away. It is galling for the organisation and those who have supported its campaign to see €8 million being returned to the State. Níl sé sin sách maith. Nil sé maith go leor. Sílim gur cheart go mbeadh díospóireacht iomlán againn maidir leis an Roinn sin agus an caoi ina bhfuil sé á bhainistiú i bhfianaise na scéala atá tagtha amach.