Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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1004. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will support giving powers to Údarás na Gaeltachta to purchase land and houses to provide for housing and other social and cultural facilities. [52053/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The deputy will be aware that the Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill, 2024 passed Committee Stage in Dáil Éireann before the summer recess. The main purpose of this Bill is to reintroduce elections to the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta. However, in order to support the provision of housing in Gaeltacht areas, the Bill contains a provision to allow an tÚdarás dispose of lands held by the organisation to either an approved housing body or a housing authority for the purpose of providing housing in the Gaeltacht.

However, I would add that it is local authorities who can implement planning and development policies that will respond to the issue of housing provision in Gaeltacht areas. At a meeting with the Local Government Management Agency earlier this year, I made this known to CEOs of local authorities that have Gaeltacht Language Planning Areas under their jurisdiction. I also recommended that relevant local authorities integrate the specific needs of the Gaeltacht into County Development Plans, and consult with Údarás na Gaeltachta on this matter to ensure that any housing policy to be implemented is appropriate to address the housing shortage in the Gaeltacht.

Údarás na Gaeltachta will, accordingly, have a secondary role in the provision of housing in the Gaeltacht, as the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Local Authorities have primary responsibility in this regard.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has done considerable work in conjunction with my Department to develop Gaeltacht Planning Guidelines. It is understood that this work is now being accelerated and that the guidelines will be published in the coming months.

It is also my understanding that Údarás na Gaeltachta has identified sites that may be suitable for housing development Gaeltacht areas. The sites in question are located close to other housing developments or community services. Údarás na Gaeltachta has indicated that it now intends to engage with key stakeholders regarding the development of these sites, as well as working with relevant partners to address various challenges regarding the general provision and availability of housing in Gaeltacht areas.

In addition, Housing Capital Grants are available from Údarás na Gaeltachta to community development organisations in the Gaeltacht who receive an annual administration grant from Údarás na Gaeltachta. A 10% capital grant is available up to a maximum of €300,000 for community development organisations, enabling them to develop small, language-based housing projects.

As regards the provision of social and cultural facilities in the Gaeltacht, I can confirm that both my own department and Údarás na Gaeltachta deliver a range of schemes aimed at developing sports and recreation and educational facilities in Gaeltacht areas and also provide annual funding to a network of community organisations operating in the arts and culture, sport, community development and language planning sectors.