Dara Calleary
Mayo · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“Agriculture is the backbone. We have all been in the Mansion House today, or everyone has said they were anyway. Energy security is key and crucial. Everybody wants energy security but nobody wants wind energy. We have to strike a balance and get a real discussion, but food security is most important.”
“While we have gaps there, we are addressing them. The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has announced the minor injury units, which will take the pressure off major hospitals and ensure services are available.”
“Recent figures from the CSO show that there is a 5.8% increase in the number of people living in rural areas between 2016 and 2022. In areas classified as highly rural and remote, the increase was 6.4%.”
“Enterprise Ireland is investing in Irish-owned, Irish-founded companies. Similarly, 59% of IDA investments were located outside the Dublin region. We will continue to work, looking at the progress we can make through the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and, as Senator O'Loughlin said, through supporting our local enterprise offices.”
“That is something we do daily and they are used where is necessary. The plan will be supported by ambitious, clear, practical and measurable actions. I have spoken to some of the funding programmes available within my Department.”
“Táim tar éis cuairt a thabhairt ar gach ceantar Gaeltachta chun plé fairsing a dhéanamh leis na pobail sin chun a fháil amach uathu féin cén cineál tacaíochta ar féidir a chur ar fáil dóibh chun cabhrú leo. Táim chun leanúint ar aghaidh leis an obair sin sa bhuiséad le teacht agus na buiséid eile.”
The complete record
Every one of 2,162 lines we hold for Dara Calleary, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 19 of 44.
“Táimid ag obair leis an údarás ach tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuil na húdaráis áitiúla ag obair freisin agus go bhfuil siad ag cur béime ar chúrsaí pleanála sa Ghaeltacht agus ag obair leis an Roinn tithíochta. Beidh mé ag obair leis an Aire tithíochta ar an bhfadhb seo agus ar an dúshlán. Tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuil cinnteacht againn faoi stádas na talún sin agus faoi stádas na sites atá ag an údarás agus fios a bheith againn an bhfuil siad réidh don pleanáil. Luaim ní hamháin cúrsaí seirbhíse, cúrsaí uisce nó séarachais ach freisin dlí pleanála agus gach rud mar sin. Is é seo príomhthosaíocht na Roinne tithíochta agus beidh mé ag obair leis an Aire. Tuigeann sé. Bhí cruinniú ag an mbeirt againn le BÁNÚ agus le Tinteán i rith an tsamhraidh faoi seo. Beimid ag obair agus beimid ag cur béime air sin.”
“Tá sé tábhachtach freisin go bhfuil tuiscint ní hamháin ag an údarás ach ag na húdaráis áitiúla nó na comhairlí contae áitiúla faoi chomh réidh is atá na talún sin agus na sites sin. Beidh suim agam na sonraí on Rinn a fheiceáil.”
“Aontaím leis an Teachta agus táimid ag iarraidh é sin a phlé. Ar mhiste leis an Teachta McGuinness na sonraí sin a chur chugam go díreach agus déanfaidh mé iarracht breathnú orthu? Is é sin an saghas ruda go gcaithfimid obair air; áiteanna a bhfuil talaimh agus sites cosúil leis sin ann. Pléifidh mé an píosa le príomhfheidhmeannach an údaráis nuair a bhuailim leis. Tá sé tábhachtach go mbainfear úsáid as an talamh atá ag an údarás nach bhfuil sé ag úsáid do chúrsaí tionscal. Tá sé tábhachtach freisin go leanfaidh sé ar aghaidh leis na pleananna tionsclaíochta agus poist a chruthú sa Ghaeltacht. Tá talamh ar fáil le haghaidh tithíocht nach mbeidh an t-údarás in ann a úsáid le haghaidh cúrsaí gnó nó fostaíochta. Ba cheart go mbeadh muid in ann é sin a dhéanamh.”
“Tá sé i gceist go ndéanfar measúnú ar an fhéidearthacht go bhforbródh Údarás na Gaeltachta, in éineacht le hUisce Éireann agus na húdaráis áitiúla, suíomhanna seirbhísithe ó phunann maoine an údaráis a bheadh feiliúnach do thithíocht do chainteoirí Gaeilge laistigh de na limistéir pleanála teanga. Tá sé ar intinn agam go mbeidh cruinniú agam le príomhfheidhmeannach an údaráis chun an teagmháil sin le hUisce Éireann agus an gá le comhoibriú idir an dá eagraíocht a phlé, ní hamháin do chúrsaí tionscail ach do chúrsaí tithíochta freisin.”
“Tacaíonn Údarás na Gaeltachta le níos mó ná 9,000 fostaithe i gcliantchomhlachtaí dá chuid. Beidh soláthar tithíochta do chainteoirí Gaeilge atá fostaithe sna comhlachtaí seo, sa tionscal, i ngnóthaí eile san earnáil phríobháideach agus i gcomhlachtaí san earnáil phoiblí ag feidhmiú laistigh den Ghaeltacht ríthábhachtach sa Ghaeltacht. Tá sé seo mar rún againn chun deis a thabhairt do chainteoirí Gaeilge fanacht ina gcónaí sa Ghaeltacht. Ina theannta sin, tá Údarás na Gaeilge le roinnt blianta anuas tar éis saineolas a fhorbairt maidir le cúrsaí fuíolluisce tríd a bheith ag freastal ar a gcuid líonra páirceanna gnó agus le heastáit tionsclaíochta atá faoina chúram.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Ó Cearúil agus leis an Teachta Connolly. Aithníonn an Rialtas go bhfuil fáil ar mheascán oiriúnach de thithe cuí ríthábhachtach chun inmharthanacht pobail rathúla Gaeltachta a chinntiú. Dá réir, foilseofar ár ráiteas náisiúnta pleanála do thithíocht sa Ghaeltacht chun soiléireacht agus leanúnachas a chur ar fáil den chóras pleanála maidir le cosaint na Gaeilge. Gealltar sa chlár Rialtais go leanfar ag obair le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta agus le páirtithe leasmhara eile chun a chinntiú go bhfuil soláthar leordhóthanach tithíochta agus seirbhísí pobail ar fáil sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. De réir Acht na Gaeltachta, 2012, tá an t-údarás freagrach as forbairt eacnamaíoch, teanga, sóisialta agus cultúrtha laistigh de na 26 limistéar pleanála teanga.”
“I welcome the process the island communities have with Mayo County Council where they meet regularly to discuss and action these things. I know from working with Deputy Keogh and our other colleagues in the county that we will continue to put pressure on Mayo County Council and as Mayo County Council submit business cases they will receive a very favourable hearing.”
“I join the Deputy in praising the work of the TFI Anseo pilot. I thank the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, for choosing Achill Island. I encourage people to use it because it is a pilot not just for Achill but for the entire rural community. It is Local Link on demand, effectively. We are very aware, and engage regularly, with Joanne Carroll and her committee on Clare Island and Sinead Cahalan and her committee on Inisturk. The two development organisations on Clare Island and Inisturk, along with Achill, do fantastic work. They definitely keep us aware of the challenges. It is important that we address those challenges within the framework of Our Living Islands but also through the process we now have.”
“They are compiling a series of recommendations. I assure the Deputy we will provide all of the necessary support and funding to Mayo County Council for the emergency works and also for the development of the pier into the kind of pier we need it to be.”
“I am absolutely focused on Roonagh at the moment and at how we can invest in it to make it more reliable and to make it climate proof in the context of the very changing weather. We have been working very closely with Mayo County Council to progress this. At the end of September I announced funding of over €157,000 for Mayo County Council to commence the development process and I want to acknowledge the Deputy's work in that space too. This funding has enabled Mayo County Council to appoint consultant engineers to prepare a preliminary business case, including a strategic assessment for marine infrastructure improvement options. In early November, subsequent to that, Mayo County Council advised us of immediate risks to part of the pier as a result of the storm damage the Deputy referenced. A detailed survey has now been completed.”
“Last Friday, I was pleased to announce core funding of over €60,000 for community power solutions on both Clare Island and on Inisturk, and as the Deputy knows, we are currently running a pilot scheme of TFI Anseo on Achill Island through Local Link. These are just some examples of practical supports my Department is providing or supporting. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, is working on these programmes in terms of my Department and the Department of Transport.”
“In 2025, over €700,000 will be invested by my Department in support of the Mayo island transport services, including daily passenger ferry services for Clare Island, Inisturk, and Inishbiggle. My Department also provides dedicated annual funding of €152,000 each to the community development companies on both Clare Island and Inisturk, which represents a 26% increase in funding which I approved earlier this year. Separately, Údarás na Gaeltachta administers funding of over €113,000 to Comhlacht Forbartha Áitiúil Acla in addition to dedicated funding to implement the island's language plan. Last month, I attended the AGM of Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann on Clare Island where I also announced funding of €500,000 to complete an upgrade to the existing Clew Bay bike trail park on the island.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht an cheist seo a ardú inniu. As the Deputy knows, the programme for Government commits to ensuring that Our Living Islands, which the national islands policy, is fully implemented to support sustainable development for island residents. Our Living Islands is a ten-year policy for the whole of Government backed up by rolling three-year action plans so the Departments and agencies across Government will be held accountable. This is a policy supporting communities in all of our inhabited offshore islands, including those in Mayo. My Department provides a range of dedicated supports specifically to our inhabited offshore islands with significant annual investment in subsidised transport services to ensure our island communities can avail of reliable, affordable, year-round transport services.”
“The best way we can do that is through Our Rural Future and through the new document. I again remind people that Friday, 12 December is the last day for submissions.”
“I accept there is a challenge and I want to deal with. We will deal with it through Our Rural Future. I will certainly consider the Deputy's proposal in the context of the scaffolding that Our Rural Future will provide. I encourage him to engage with Kerry County Council in relation to a specific focused task force. I would be happy to engage with its proposals. I ask all local authorities in rural areas to engage with the Our Rural Future process by providing detailed submissions. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I had a very useful meeting with the GAA demographics committee in September. It was a very stark meeting in relation to the challenges by its clubs and most importantly by the people living in rural areas. I want to address those challenges in a comprehensive and structured manner.”
“This is not just a matter for Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht; it is an all-of-government approach. The document within Our Rural Future will seek to capture an all-of-government approach to address challenges Deputy Cahill has just outlined.”
“I agree with the Deputy. We are concerned about rural depopulation and the inconsistency in population growth around the country. That will be a focus of the new version of Our Rural Future, which, as I said, is our scaffolding document for rural policies and programmes in Ireland. We have a draft document that is available for consultation at the moment. The deadline for consultation is 12 December and I encourage each Deputy to give a formal submission ahead of 12 December, which is tomorrow week. We want to address the areas that are causing depopulation. We want to ensure that we continue the level of capital investment that we have made in counties such as Kerry in the CLÁR areas. Equally we have to engage and ensure that rural services are provided.”
“I understand it is launching its report today and I look forward to engaging with it about that report. I have heard the reports from Marty Morrissey this week. They have been interesting and challenging. I will certainly engage with Deputy Cahill about the specific challenges in south Kerry, but given that Kerry has just won another all-Ireland, I think that is not a challenge facing it.”
“Under measure 1, local authorities seek applications from local community groups in designated CLÁR areas in their county. They then assess the applications received in order to prioritise those applications which they submit to my Department as a request for CLÁR funding. This year saw the highest level of funding allocated under CLÁR since it was relaunched. Notwithstanding that, I understand that some groups will be disappointed. I would advise such groups that we will be relaunching the scheme in the new year. As part of our consultation regarding Our Rural Future, which is the scaffolding documents for all these rural policies, the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I met the demographics committee of the GAA in September. We asked it for input into Our Rural Future.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Cahill as an gceist agus as an deis caint faoi CLÁR. The CLÁR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. Measure 1 provides funding for community facilities and amenities and accounts for the vast majority of funding. Measure 2 provides funding for vehicles to support the transport of people with reduced mobility, community first responders and Meals on Wheels. Measure 3 is targeted at our island communities. As the Deputy said, I was able to announce funding of almost €12 million for 198 projects under measure 1, which included funding of almost €700,000 for ten measure 1 projects in Kerry. Across all measures, this brought the total CLÁR funding in Kerry this year to over €911,000.”
“Gabhaim buíochas le gach duine i Gaois agus san ollscoil, ina measc uachtarán na hollscoile, Dáire Keogh, agus an foireann bainistíochta as a suim i gcúrsaí teanga.”
“Cuirfidh mé nóta go dtí an Teachta McGuinness. Tá sé láidir sa troid sin. Bhí an ócáid sin iontach. Mar a dúirt an Teachta, tá an togra seo tábhachtach ní hamháin do na mic léinn ollscoile ach freisin do mhuintir na teanga anseo agus go hidirnáisiúnta. Tá siad in ann staidéar a dhéanamh ar dúchas.ie , logainm.ie , corpas.ie , canúint.ie agus ainm.ie cibé cén áit ina bhfuil siad. Tá an LEX Project an-tábhachtach le haghaidh chúrsaí an EU ionas go mbeimid in ann na seirbhísí a chur ar fáil san EU, including translation services. I met Irish MEPs last week, including Cynthia Ní Mhurchú and Seán Kelly, who are very frustrated at the slow progress of full translation services at EU level. The work we are doing at DCU and under Gaois is very much central to our case.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Ó Muirí agus an Teachta Heneghan as an deis a thabhairt dom caint faoi Gaois. Bhí an mhaidin sin coicís ó shin in Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath iontach. Bhí fuinneamh agus suim sa seomra sin agus súil ar an ábhar freisin. Bhí siad ag úsáid na websites sin, dúchas.ie , logainm.ie , corpas.ie , canúint.ie agus ainm.ie . Tá siad ag cur súil ar an todhchaí agus tá tuiscint acu faoi chúrsaí intleacht shaorga, go háirithe na deiseanna atá ann le AI agus an teanga, agus na dúshláin atá ann freisin. Tá a lán oibre ar siúl i Gaois faoi na dúshláin ach faoi na deiseanna freisin. Tá muinín agam san obair atá ar siúl ansin. Tá muinín agam go mbeidh an Roinn in ann obair le Gaois chun cláir eile a chur ar siúl. I am confident that we will be co-operating further with Gaois.”
“I am very conscious that the funding my Department is providing will enable Gaois to develop greater integration between the sites, provide more powerful search facilities and ensure a structured supply of information in a measured way to artificial intelligence models. Additionally, it will advance the Gaois working groups, develop the next generation of technicians and researchers, and sustain the resources' userbase. Previous projects undertaken by Gaois with the assistance of funding received from my Department include the LEX Project, which has provided terminology support for the EU institutions from 2008 onwards, and an líonra saineolaithe a bhí forbartha with the aim of providing high-quality technical advice to Irish-language translators and terminologists in the European institutions.”
“Students, teachers, journalists, translators and the wider public can, depending on their areas of research, easily access the contents through searching some of the following sites: dúchas.ie , which entails digitisation of the Irish folklore collection; logainm.ie , the Irish placenames database; corpas.ie , the national corpus of the Irish language, which includes both written and oral material; canúint.ie , a repository of Irish dialects; and ainm.ie , the national database of Irish-language biographies. The sites will be of interest not only to ourselves but also to daoine i ngach chuid den domhan a bhfuil suim acu sa Ghaeilge agus i stair agus cultúr an oileáin freisin.”
“Go raibh maith ag an Teachta. Mar is eol dó, is grúpa eolais é Gaois i bhFiontar agus Scoil na Gaeilge in Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath. It comprises lecturers, researchers and postgraduate students. Gaois has received funding from my Department since 2027. I visited DCU just last month to see the great work it is doing. I was delighted to announce just over €4 million for Gaois for the next four years to help to significantly develop its major projects. The projects developed by Gaois are research and reference resources of an exceptionally high standard, which provide a comprehensive facility to the Irish-language community focused on the development of innovative resources to sustain the language and the learning of Irish.”
“I am very much open to suggestions, particularly on the backlog, on how to address it and how to achieve a balance in doing so. We will continue to engage with the Department of Transport on this in the context of the value my Department offers in this space.”
“I absolutely agree. We will try to get the allocations out early. Under the former Minister, Heather Humphreys, and under me and the current Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, where there were underspends in our capital area half way through the year, we put them in. That is why I was able to get the additional allocation. The initial allocation for 2026, which will be announced, is €17 million. I am confident we will be able to increase that. We will get it out early. I am confident, from engaging with my officials, that there are no major underspends in any local authority this year. It was astounding to me that any local authority would not spend its full LIS allocation. We have resolved that issue. Department officials are engaging with the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and me on what a 2026 scheme would look like.”
“We need to address the backlog. The Deputy has spoken about the backlog in his area. I will do some work on this and am happy to take suggestions from all the rural Deputies on how we should address it.”
“I thank the Deputy. We had a super day in Rylane and Kishkeam. I thank everybody for their welcome, including Deputy John Paul O’Shea, Deputy Aindrias Moynihan and the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan. There was a lot of really good progress in respect of the subject matter of the discussions we had here earlier. Cork County Council reported 175 LIS roads awaiting repair at the end of 2024. Fifty-one roads, including four island roads, have been repaired to date in 2025. Cork County Council is one of our best-performing local authorities. I am very conscious of the size of Cork county in the context of all our allocations. We will continue to work with local authorities on the LIS. The cost per road repair differs from local authority to local authority. I am carrying out an analysis of what is influencing this.”
“Details of the 2026 scheme, including county allocations, will be circulated among local authorities and published on the Department's website as they become available.”
“This is the highest annual allocation for the scheme to date, and it reflects the priority that the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I attach to it. Since 2017, Cork County Council has received a total of €14.15 million in LIS funding, the second-highest allocation to local authorities nationally. Cork's allocation under the 2025 scheme totalled €2.33 million. The 2026 scheme is expected to be launched early next year. I am reviewing the provisions in advance to ensure they will be managed as reasonably and efficiently as possible. My officials will continue to engage with local authorities across the country as next year's scheme is rolled out. I encourage Deputies to engage with their local authorities to ensure all funding for 2025 is expended.”
“As the Deputy knows, the local improvement scheme, LIS, supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not usually maintained by local authorities. Since its re-establishment in 2017, the Government has provided almost €184 million to local authorities under it. This funding has resulted in improvement work on nearly 5,000 roads, benefiting over 23,000 landowners and residents in rural areas. Once LIS allocations are made each year on a county basis, it is at the discretion of each the local authorities to select and prioritise roads for improvement under the scheme each year. I announced additional funding for the LIS in August, bringing the total allocation for 2025 to €30 million.”
“Mar a dúirt mé leis an Teachta McGuinness níos luaithe, tá sé ann de bharr obair na OPTs atá ar siúl agus an obair a bhí á plé againn atá ar siúl ag na daoine in Áras Chrónáin agus i ngach chuid den tír. Tá na daoine áitiúla atá ag plé le cúrsaí áitiúla ag cur rudaí ar siúl agus ag cur clár na Gaeilge ar siúl. Tá an fuinneamh sin ann mar gheall ar obair TG4, Raidió Rí-Rá, Conradh na Gaeilge, agus na heagraíochtaí Gaeilge a bhíomar ag plé níos luaithe faoi chúrsaí Fhoras na Gaeilge agus an t-airgead sin. Beidh an €2 milliún breise sin ag dul i dtreo an fhuinnimh sin. Tá scéal maith agus láidir againn ach tuigim frustrachas an Teachta. Déanfaidh mé staidéar ar cad atá ag tarlú sna tíortha eile.”
“Níl mórán disagreement eadrainn. Tá mé ag súil go mbeidh deis agam staidéar a dhéanamh ar cad atá ag tarlú sa Bhreatain Bheag go háirithe maidir le cúrsaí teanga agus fuinnimh. Caithfidh an Teachta a admháil go bhfuil fuinneamh ann i gcúrsaí Gaeilge ag an bpointe.”
“Tá leabhair nua maidir le teicneolaíocht agus gach rud eile á bhfoilsiú de thoradh ar an airgead breise sin. Tuigim an frustrachas atá ar an Teachta ach, maidir le haon rud le haghaidh na Roinne oideachais, ba chóir dó an frustrachas sin a ligean amach ar an Aire oideachais.”
“Maidir le cúrsaí oideachais, ba chóir don Teachta ceisteanna a chur ar an Aire oideachais. Tá tuairimí suimiúla ag an Teachta ach ba cheart dó na tuairimí sin a phlé leis an Aire oideachais, an Teachta Hildegarde Naughton. Thug mé freagra maidir leis an méid atá ag tarlú le Gaeilge 365. Léiríonn sé sin an fuinneamh agus na cúrsaí nua atá ar bun chun an Ghaeilge a spreagadh. Táthar ag baint úsáid as na meáin shóisialta, as seirbhísí na gcomhairlí áitiúil i mBaile Átha Cliath, as seirbhísí daoine agus as leabhair. Maidir le ceist dheireanach an Teachta, tá €2 milliún bhreise tugtha d'Fhoras na Gaeilge le haghaidh clár na leabhar Gaeilge. Leis na leabhair Ghaeilge, beidh déagóirí agus páistí in ann an Ghaeilge a úsáid i gcomhthéacs difriúil agus suimiúil.”
“Indicators used to measure progress include the following: for year one, to develop 16 innovative tested language projects; create 30,000 plus Irish-speaking opportunities through council services; root at least two innovative language projects in the councils; scale at least one innovative language projects through additional funding sources; at least three empowerment programmes in hand with over 45 participants annually; launch the policy book; and 100,000 plus social media views on related content. These targets will be built upon for years two, three and four of this initiative. Tá muinín agam go mbeidh seans ag muintir Dháilcheantar an Teachta úsáid a bhaint as Gaeilge 365 agus na deiseanna a ghabhann leis. Mar is eol don Teachta, tá gealltanas sa chlár Rialtais chun Gaeilge 365 a leathnú amach go dtí údaráis áitiúla eile sa Stát.”
“They will be used to further inform the methodology for monitoring plans under the Irish language process, including Clondalkin. Gaeilge 365 is the first innovation unit to operate through Irish in the public service. The fundamental aim of this project is to put an innovative approach in place to create more opportunities for the public to speak Irish through the services of the four Dublin local authorities including those servicing Dublin Bay North.”
“As the Deputy will be aware, Muintir Chrónáin is the lead organisation, which prepared the Clondalkin language plan approved in 2020. Annual funding of €96,000 is provided to the Irish Language Network to implement its language plan and to employ a full time Irish-language officer. Foras na Gaeilge continually monitors the implementation of specified actions in the Clondalkin language plan in its role as the organisation tasked with supporting and funding Muintir Chrónáin. Separately, it is intended that a review of the Clondalkin language plan will be carried out in the sixth year of the implementation, a process I discussed with Deputy Conor McGuinness. My Department intends to publish the first evaluation of language plans in the Gaeltacht language planning areas in the coming weeks.”
“That is why I was in Strasbourg last week and met MEPs. Equally, it is not the Government causing the difficulties. A debate is under way about the entire European budget. I assure the Deputy the studs are on and we will defend the interests of LEADER and I will defend the interests of rural communities.”
“I do not have the Waterford figures but the Cavan LEADER programme for 2023 to 2027 has an allocation of €6.37 million. There is €5.985 million for Monaghan. To date, under the 2023 to 2027 programme, 45 projects have been approved, 25 in Cavan and 20 in Monaghan to the value of €1.62 million in Cavan and €1.29 million in Monaghan. That funding continues but it is also in partnership with the other projects I mentioned. We have seen some of those projects in RSS, CCIF and RRDF. I will continue to work the Deputy and the Chair on delivering projects in Cavan and Monaghan. The development companies are very important partners in developing those projects. I was in Cork last weekend with the Minister of State where we saw IRD Duhallow using other projects. The Deputy can be absolute assured that I am very focused on LEADER.”
“I encourage the Deputies to do the same in terms of looking at that cross-European support that we need to have a LEADER programme funded separately under the CAP measure. That is important. The MEPs left me under no illusion last week as to the challenges relating to the multiannual financial framework, MFF, and funding.”
“One cannot talk about LEADER cuts without also talking about the fact that a whole range of new programmes have been invested in, including RRDF, TVRS, RSS and CCIF. They are now in place but were not in place over many years of the LEADER programme. They fulfil many of the duties LEADER did. LEADER funding is not cut for next year. We will spend the full allocation during the programme. The remaining €180 million has been allocated for 2023 to 2027. That maintains the funding with the previous programme. I am confident we will spend that full €180 million. Approvals are currently slow, as has always been the method. We will ensure allocations are in place. I am working on a post-2027 scenario. That is why I have had meetings with MEPs.”
“I will continue to work with the Irish MEPs and my Government colleagues to ensure that the LEADER programme is supported and well funded into the future.”
“As part of the ongoing negotiation process, my Department continues to emphasise the importance of a ring-fenced allocation for the LEADER Programme. Detailed discussions on the shape and operation of the new regulations are ongoing at both national and EU levels. To facilitate the current negotiation process for the post-2027 period, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has established a CAP consultative committee, which includes representation from my Department. I acknowledge the work of the Minister, Deputy Heydon, in involving my Department in this. Separately, while in Strasbourg last week, I met with Irish MEPs, including Kathleen Funchion, to discuss a range of issues, including LEADER funding, in the context of the next EU budgetary cycle.”
“For over 30 years, LEADER has delivered tangible benefits to rural communities in areas such as economic development and job creation, rural infrastructure, social inclusion, environmental sustainability and, as we discussed, rural activities. Therefore, the development of the EU regulations relating to the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, and the new national and regional partnership plans is a matter of significant importance to me and to my Department. Ireland will continue to advocate for a well-funded CAP that supports farm resilience, environmental ambition and, crucially, rural development measures such as LEADER. Within the draft regulations, the inclusion of the LEADER programme as a CAP intervention is to be welcomed.”
“Fad is atáimid ag caint faoi, tá sé tábhachtach a rá go bhfuil Gaeilge ag gach duine sa tír seo. Ba cheart go mbeimid in ann í a úsáid gan ghearán. Tá sé tábhachtach go mbeadh muinín ag daoine a gcuid Gaeilge a úsáid gan daoine a bheith ag magadh fúthu. Tá sí againn. Ba cheart go dtabharfadh daoine a bhfuil Gaeilge líofa acu seans do dhaoine nach bhfuil chomh líofa céanna a gcuid Gaeilge a úsáid agus a labhairt. Tá sé tábhachtach go gcuirfimid béim ar an nGaeilge ó bhéal. Is é sin ceann de na cúiseanna go bhfuil cúrsaí ag éirí chomh láidir i dtaca leis an nGaeilge anois. Anseo i mBaile Átha Cliath tá Gaeilge 365 againn, ar bhunaigh Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath. Tá sé mar sprioc ag an gclár iontach seo cabhrú leis na húdaráis áitiúla seirbhísí a chur ar fáil trí Ghaeilge. Guím gach rath ar Gaeilge 365.”
“Tá muinín agam go mbeidh bliain fhada agus láidir ag an bhforas agus, go háirithe, ag na heagraíochtaí faoi stiúradh an fhorais.”
“Tá muinín agam anois mar gheall ar an airgead breise. Níl aon chúis ann go gcaillfeadh aon ghrúpa am nó airgead. Bhí mé soiléir le m’oifigigh agus leis an bhforas nach raibh mé ag iarraidh go mbeimid san áit céanna a raibh siad sa tréimhse dheireanach. Mar a dúirt mé sa fhreagra, tá cinnteacht ag Foras na Gaeilge faoin airgead breise atá acu le caitheamh ar ghrúpaí agus eagraíochtaí Gaeilge. Leis an gcinnteacht sin, beidh bord an fhorais in ann plean gníomhaíochta agus plean gnó a aontú leis na heagraíochtaí. Mar gheall ar an airgead breise, ní bheidh aon ghá leis na fadhbanna a bhí againn i rith na bliana. Tuigim, i ndiaidh na comhráite a bhí agam le príomhfheidhmeannach an fhorais agus le cathaoirleach bhord an fhorais inné go bhfuil siad ag ullmhú agus ag caint leis na heagraíochtaí Gaeilge. Tá oifigigh mo Roinne ag caint leo freisin.”