Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of new agencies created since 1997 to date in 2008; the budget for each in all of those years; and the number of staff employed. [34420/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs was established on the 6th June 2002. As outlined in my response to Question No. 136 on the 7th October 2008, one new agency, Oifig Choimisinéir na dTeangacha Oifigiúla was established since the establishment of the Department and my appointment as Minister. For completeness, I should add that during this time Pobal was reconstituted from the former Area Development Management Limited and, that the Dormant Accounts Disbursement Board was replaced by the Dormant Accounts Board.

The Deputy will also be aware that Waterways Ireland and An Foras Teanga, which comprises Foras na Gaeilge and The Ulster Scots Agency, are North/South Implementation Bodies which come within the ambit of my Department. These bodies were established under the Implementation Bodies Agreement of 8 March 1999 made between the British and Irish Governments (and incorporated into domestic law in this jurisdiction by the British Irish Agreement Act 1999).

For completeness, details of the budgets and staffing for each of these agencies in each of the years, financial outturns 2002-2007 and estimate 2008, are given in the following table.

Waterways Ireland and the Foras Teanga are North South Implementation Bodies co-funded with the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland. The funding figure in this table refers to funding provided by my Department only.