Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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99. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his efforts to promote enterprise in the Gaeltacht; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44249/13]

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, Údarás na Gaeltachta is the regional development agency for the Gaeltacht. It promotes productive employment through the development of natural resources, skills and entrepreneurial abilities and through the attraction of investment to the Gaeltacht. It also promotes and supports community development initiatives and a wide range of language, cultural and educational schemes aimed at strengthening the Irish language in the Gaeltacht.

While there is long established cooperation between Údarás na Gaeltachta, Enterprise Ireland and the IDA, these links are being strengthened as a result of a Government decision made in this regard in May 2011. A formal mechanism for cooperation was agreed between Údarás na Gaeltachta and Enterprise Ireland earlier this year, which will benefit enterprise development in the Gaeltacht. The Government has also decided that Údarás na Gaeltachta will maintain responsibility for micro-enterprise and small business supports in the Gaeltacht, in addition to having appropriate access to supports from the new Local Enterprise Offices.

Annual funding is provided to Údarás na Gaeltachta from my Department's Vote. This amounts to a total allocation of €18.409 million from the Exchequer in 2013, which Údarás na Gaeltachta supplements with income generated from investments and from the sale of assets. As a result of investment by Údarás na Gaeltachta, 689 new jobs were created in the Gaeltacht in 2012. Total employment in Údarás na Gaeltachta client companies at year-end was 7,553 jobs, of which 6,933 were full-time jobs and 620 were part-time jobs.