Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 115: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the plans he has for the disbursement of the additional funds that he has received for Ciste na Gaeilge in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40962/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, funding is provided under Ciste na Gaeilge to a wide range of Irish-language organisations and initiatives that advance the Irish language outside the Gaeltacht. In addition to funding major organisations such as Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and An Taibhdhearc on an annual basis, the Ciste is used to fund critically-important initiatives to support the status of Irish as an EU official and working language and to resource public bodies to implement the Official Languages Act. These special initiatives include, for example, the development by Fiontar, Dublin City University, of a database of EU terminology in the Irish language. The database also includes terminology required for translation of statutory instruments. Furthermore since 2006, four new sub-Funds under the Ciste have been established — an Ciste Logainmneacha, an Ciste Gnó, an Ciste Tríú Leibhéal and an Ciste DVDs as Gaeilge, to provide funding for the provision of children's DVDs in the Irish language.

As well as providing, as already announced, for a special grant to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the funding provided in the 2009 estimates for Ciste na Gaeilge will facilitate the continuation of the various schemes and initiatives outlined above. I expect to be in a position to announce precise details of funding being allocated to individual initiatives in early 2009.