Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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65. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if additional funding will be made available to Údarás na Gaeltachta in the supplementary budget allocations, given its excellent record in job creation, and to help realise the potential which exists for further job creation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43502/15]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 12 of 12 November 2015 in relation to this matter. As I outlined in that reply, as Minister of State with responsibility for the Gaeltacht, I very much understand the importance of job creation in retaining sustainable communities in Gaeltacht areas. I am also very cognisant of the ongoing challenge of maintaining existing jobs, in addition to creating new jobs, in the Gaeltacht. In that context, I wish to acknowledge the important enterprise and employment function of Údarás na Gaeltachta as the regional economic agency for the Gaeltacht. I am well aware of Údarás na Gaeltachta's proposal to increase its capital budget over a period of time to €12m per annum. I am also very aware and supportive of the case advanced by the organisation that such an increase in funding would enable it to create an additional 300 jobs per annum. The case for funding outlined specific measures, including the upgrading of its existing property portfolio and the provision of new property solutions in a number of geographic and sectoral areas.

The Deputy will be aware that Údarás na Gaeltachta's capital provision for 2016 is €5.687m. The Deputy will, of course, also be aware that, during the Revised Estimates process for 2015, I secured an additional capital allocation of €1m for Údarás na Gaeltachta. I wish to again assure the Deputy that I am continuing to seek further funding for Údarás na Gaeltachta under the Revised Estimates process for 2016.