Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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Question 79: To ask the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs his plans to carry out a cost benefit analysis on the expenditure of his Department on the Irish language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39306/10]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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As indicated in response to other Questions in the House today, the draft 20-year Strategy for Irish was published in draft form in late 2009 and was subsequently referred to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Sport, Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs in order to allow for a further period of consultation and cross-party debate. The Committee issued its report, including a significant number of recommendations, on 28 July last. These are being examined at the moment in conjunction with the relevant Government Departments and I anticipate that this work will be completed shortly.

I hope to bring the draft Strategy back to Government for approval in the near future. The Strategy, once approved, will provide the basis for future Government support for the Irish language. In terms of value for money, I should make the point that the focus in implementation of the Strategy will be on ensuring best use and effectiveness of existing resources in terms of positive outcomes for the language. Clearly, the effectiveness of all the programmes and interventions in this area will fall to be assessed afresh in the light of the Strategy, once it has been finalised.

This work will, of course, build also on other relevant value for money assessments undertaken by my Department in recent years, including the Value for Money & Policy Review of Ciste na Gaeilge 2000-05 and the Review of Expenditure Improvement Schemes in the Gaeltacht 2006.