Pádraig Ó Céidigh (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would appreciate the Leader’s help on two matters of urgency. The first relates to jobs in Údarás na Gaeltachta areas. Údarás na Gaeltachta gets less than 25% of the funding that IDA Ireland gets. It is a critical issue. There is much talk about developing the Irish language, but if we do not give people the opportunity to work in their own places where they want to grow up and live, there will never be any Irish, which is very important for us as a nation.

I was going to say more about that but something else has come to my attention, which is urgent. The Leader may know about the Irish Associated of Supported Employment, IASE. I have a vested interest in that I am patron of that body. It is the only organisation in Ireland whose sole function is the promotion of employment of people with disabilities. It believes that everybody with disabilities should have the opportunity to get work experience in a job. It is based in Belmullet in County Mayo. It provides employment for up to 800 people a year. It has a job-shadow day; people come on and work from there. Every year at least 50 people with disabilities end up in longer-term employment as a result.

It is closing down over issues with cash flow. It has a staff of five people and the total wages cost is €6,000 a month, which is roughly €1,000 a week per individual. They are passionate about what they do. They have applications pending, a service level agreement with the Department of Social Protection, national lottery funding, Northern Trust sponsorship and Human Rights and Equality grants scheme 2016. It will close in the next few days unless it can get funding of approximately €100,000. I ask the Leader as a matter of urgency to contact the Minister of State with responsibility for the Gaeltacht, Deputy Kyne, or one of his colleagues to help with bridging funding to keep this essential service going.