Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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396. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding a project (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2552/14]

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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The project referred to by the Deputy involves a building of 1,418 square metres comprising new offices for the local co-operative, a family resource centre and 3 enterprise units. The aim of the project is to build a centre that will provide additional services in high quality facilities for the benefit of both the local Irish speaking community and Irish language course participants and which will also increase the employment opportunities in the Gaeltacht. Accordingly, the main objectives of the project are:

- To strengthen the Irish language as the household language in the area in line with the objectives of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language by providing childcare facilities and family resource services and to create a language haven for Irish language speakers; and

- To sustain and develop language-based employment in the area by providing modern offices, enterprise and training space.

I am pleased that my Department was in a position to provide funding of €1,746,765 towards the cost of the project over a three-year period. During the construction phase, it is envisaged that the development will create employment in the area as well as having direct and indirect economic impacts. Based on analysis by the Construction Federation of Ireland on the impact of capital projects, it is expected that this project will create up to 40 jobs in the construction industry during the building phase and 80 jobs in other sectors in the local economy.

I understand from Údarás na Gaeltachta that the local co-operative pays, on average, salaries to 220 people in a full year, or 47 full-time equivalents. It is envisaged that the new facilities being developed will enable the continuation of this employment. In addition, the project will create new opportunities to build upon existing language-based employment in the local Gaeltacht area in the enterprise, cultural tourism, training, education and childcare services sectors. It is estimated that these new facilities will provide an opportunity to create up to 20 new full-time job equivalents in the long-term.