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.”
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“Táim féin agus an tAire Stáit, an Teachta Buttimer tar éis sárobair a chur isteach chun SÍOL a chur ar an mbóthar. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta freisin mar iarArd-Mhéara as a thaithí leis seo. I thank the Deputy for sharing his experience with the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, in relation to urban disadvantage. SÍOL was launched on 8 July. It means "seed" in English. It actually stands for scéim infheistíochta ag obair le chéile, which translates to "working together investment scheme". It aims to target small areas of disadvantage in our towns and cities, providing funding for infrastructure to improve the areas and the lives of the communities. The areas chosen are those with the highest population of extreme disadvantage. The new programme is focused initially on 15 areas that have been designated as SÍOL.”
“Irish Rail is being ridiculous about trolleys at this stage. On the N59 and the draft planning guidelines generally, it is the Minister's intention that they will take effect next year. I have asked my party's councillors and I will ask Councillor Murray as well because our councillors are the best planners and experts on planning to look at the guidelines. That would be a useful exercise for us all to do, for our councillors to examine these guidelines. We will certainly feed that through to our review process. It is important we get them in as quickly as possible.”
“I agree about transport. We are lucky with Sarah and the team in Local Link. Co-ordination is better, which is something that Deputy McGuinness and the Minister of State discussed earlier around bus stops. We have the same problems with bus stops, which has hopefully just been resolved with the National Transport Authority. On the trolley, it is beyond me, in 2026, why we cannot have trolleys on trains. Irish Rail needs to cop on. I got that email this evening. It was a very distressing situation for that passenger.”
“Many of the ideas are captured in the national planning statement such as getting people back, investing in sporting facilities and remote working to give people a chance to return to their home areas. People are going to travel but I want them to come back. I want to give them communities to come back to. Communities have a standard that they are used to travelling to, and if we do not provide that standard of facilities and infrastructure, we will not get them back. I absolutely want to get them back. I want us to win multiple all-Irelands.”
“All I can say is that if Brenda was in charge of the Mayo team, we would have won many all-Irelands. I absolutely mean that. I wish the team every success. It will be a great week and it would be an amazing achievement. The Deputy is absolutely right. The Minister of State and I have met the GAA demographics committee and we have discussed this with Deputy McGuinness too. I will incorporate much of its work into the new Our Rural Future programme. The GAA has led in what it has done with the demographics committee. I congratulate Benny Hurl, the chairman of the committee, and our former colleague, Shane Cassells, who has joined that committee, for doing a lot of work on this. I will incorporate some of the ideas.”
“I was delighted to be in one of our more remote communities recently on Inishturk, where we launched the fibre roll-out of the national broadband plan. Through the town and village renewal scheme, I allocated €1.5 million to six projects. However, I am aware, as the Deputy is, of those areas. I am committed to working on those areas where the population is leaving. I want to make sure that we get families back in and, through issues like the vacant property grant, we are trying to do that.”
“Recent figures from the CSO show 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, including many in Mayo, the increase was 6.4%. However, I am conscious that this growth is inconsistent and that many areas are still losing population. That is why the new draft national planning statement will be important not just for Gaeltacht areas, but for rural areas to bring people back into areas with families and to support schools, post offices, and services. Under Our Rural Future, we have invested significantly in County Mayo, with €8.8 million under the current LEADER programme, over €39 million in RRDF funding and over €5.8 million under the community centre investment scheme.”
“Our Rural Future is the policy document that, since 2021, has been delivering vital investment and supports, strengthening local economies and improving quality of life across rural Ireland. Significant achievements include the delivery of the national broadband plan, the development of a national network of over 400 remote working hubs and enhanced public transport services through the connecting Ireland rural mobility programme, which is shared by the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, in both Departments. Through the rural regeneration and development fund, the town and village renewal scheme and the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme, we are investing in rural communities all across the country and indeed across County Mayo.”
“We have to ensure that we have planning conditions that give Gaeltacht people with Gaeilge the chance to live in their home area and to move to another Gaeltacht. This is the first time there has ever been a draft national planning statement on the Gaeltacht. I am not precious. It is not perfect and I am happy to work with people to improve it over the next number of months.”
“We published the draft planning statement. We did not pull it out of the sky. I hate using the word "quota". The figures relating to the clause were taken from the census plus 10% in each language planning area. They were based on the number of active Irish speakers. They were not based on nine people not speaking English because of one person. We are open to discussing those thoroughly and constructively. Second, I want people to live in communities that are Irish-speaking where they can raise a family. I want education facilities at primary and secondary level and we are engaging in that. I want all of the elements of a successful community to be put in place. I also have to be realistic.”
“I am absolutely with the Deputy and every other Deputy about the notion of multi-unit houses in particular. They should be preserved or prioritised for people who have Irish, but we also have to respect that within Gaeltachtaí, there are people who do not have Irish. They have to be given a housing a right in their own community too.”
“We had a discussion earlier with na Teachtaí Ó Snodaigh and McGuinness around the draft planning statement, which has been introduced by the Minister, Deputy Browne, and on which the Ministers of State, Deputies Buttimer and Cummins, and I have worked closely with him. It is a draft statement, in which we have tried to introduce a national standard regarding Gaeltacht planning and quotas in Gaeltacht areas. In some local authorities, there are varying degrees of that quota. It is 80% in some counties and it changes from area to area within counties. As I said, I will engage with any Deputy, since I do not claim ownership over this, about the Gaeltacht side of the draft planning statement to make it as robust as possible. We want to ensure that it protects the language.”
“As regards services, it is difficult. We face the challenge of digitalisation. We need people to work and support local communities. I am working with the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, around the whole area of community cafes, which are taking hold around the country. Communities are setting up cafes and we are looking at the notion of community shops as well. We will be publishing the new draft of our rural future in mid-September and it will contain many new initiatives to deal with exactly the kind of challenges the Deputy has dealt with. However, I will send the Deputy a full response subsequently.”
“I can give the Deputy the work we are doing. First, with regard to the draft national planning statement, and I will follow up and email the Deputy with a full answer, that is exactly about restoring population to these areas. Second, the investments I have just discussed with Deputy O'Rourke, and I highlighted an amazing project in the Deputy's own county in Kells, are investing in the RRDF projects to put investment back in rural communities. Through the town centre first plan, working with the Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Ministers of State, Deputies Cummins and Buttimer, we are putting in town regeneration officers to get people back living in towns. Through the vacant house and derelict house site, we are giving people the chance to get a start and to get the kind of refurbishment grants needed to get them back in.”
“I highly recommend all the Deputies in the House visit Kells to see what has happened there in the Kells Printing Works. It is an extraordinary project and I am going to get back there myself to see it properly over the summer. That is a similar idea. It is outside the Deputy's own constituency but what is happening in Kells is coming from the town centre first plan-----”
“Definitely, Deputy. In the context of the discussions we are having with the Ministers of State, Deputies Cummins and Buttimer, we want to make that alignment true to the funding streams within our Department, as well as their Department, such as with the former URDF project. There is a new name for that now on which I have drawn a blank. However, I will say that on the previous occasion, the Dunshaughlin application was not grounded in the town centre first plan but it is now. Some of the feedback we discussed on the previous one was that there needed to be a plan and we now have a very solid plan. We have a town regeneration officer within Meath County Council who will be driving on, not just for Dunshaughlin but also for the rest of the county.”
“I know from a meeting I had at the beginning of June with the CEO of Meath County Council and with the then Cathaoirleach, Wayne Harding, that this was seen as a priority within the county. Until such time as we get an application in, I cannot make any further comment. The only thing I will say is the town centre first plan will considerably accentuate the application and strengthen it.”
“I fully agree with the Deputy and I commend the town team in Dunshaughlin on the town centre first plan. My Department is engaging closely with Meath County Council across several different projects, including a RRDF application. As a consequence of the TCF plan, I understand Meath County Council and the town team are closely engaged in working on an RRDF application. As the closing date is 27 July, I cannot tell the Deputy if it has come in or not. However, the officials in my Department have a call scheduled with Meath County Council on RRDF for next Friday, 17 July, at which they will get a steer from Meath County Council as to whether this is coming in.”
“We are committed to the TCF policy and I will continue to work with the Ministers of State, Deputies Cummins and Buttimer, in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and we will have a joint Departments of rural and community development and housing and local government event later this year in Waterford around TCF and learning the lessons from TCF to date.”
“TCF provides for an integrated policy approach for the development of our towns underpinned by funding streams across Government, including a range of measures from my Department. For example, under the rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, over €3.6 million has been allocated to five projects located in County Meath since 2020. This included over €950,000 in category 2 funding for Dunshaughlin courthouse and public realm project, which I recently visited with Deputy Gillian Toole. Recent funding calls for proposals from my Department have shown that the TCF approach is having an impact. Higher quality and more considered applications have been received and have secured funding for project proposals emanating initially from town centre first plans.”
“The town centre first, TCF, policy, published in February 2022, is a joint initiative between my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The policy sets out a framework to facilitate and resource the regeneration of Irish towns to ensure they are vibrant, viable and attractive places to live in, work in, invest in and visit. Important progress includes the establishment of a dedicated national TCF office and the appointment of town regeneration officers, TROs, in 26 local authorities, including Meath County Council. TROs lead on implementation of the policy at the local level. They work with the local town teams through a place-based approach to develop a TCF town plan, such as the new plan which the Dunshaughlin town team launched last month.”
“Bíonn a lán cruinnithe agam le príomhfheidhmeannaigh na n-údarás áitiúil maidir le tithíocht. Tá mé chun Gaeilge365 a chur ar an agenda chomh maith.”
“Tá deiseanna iontacha ag teacht as Gaeilge365 maidir le húsáid na seirbhísí. Léiríonn sé seo go bhfuil suim againn sa Roinn oibriú le daoine a bhfuil ideas nua acu. Níl gach rud ar eolas againn sa Roinn, agus níl gach rud ar eolas againn sa Teach seo ach an oiread. Déanaim comhghairdeas le Daithí de Buitléir agus an fhoireann i nGaeilge365. Mar a dúirt sé, bíonn a lán rudaí ar siúl, cosúil le binse comhrá ina mbíonn binsí sa chomharsanacht áitiúil agus ar an trá. Tá an togra, snámh le spraoi, ann freisin. Baintear leas as spórt le go mbíonn na daoine a imríonn spórt ag úsáid na Gaeilge. Tá cleachtaí ó Ghaeilge365 a mbeidh aon údarás áitiúil in ann úsáid a bhaint astu ina gcathair nó ceantar féin. Tá mé ag cur brú ar gach comhairle áitiúil Gaeilge365 a scrúdú agus é a úsáid mar shampla agus teimpléad ina gcuid ceantar dúchais féin.”
“Tar éis sin, tá muid ag scrúdú Gaeilge365 chun na cleachtaí a fhoghlaim le go mbeidh muid in ann dul ar aghaidh leo i ngach cuid den Státseirbhís. Mar is eol don Teachta, tá sprioc le haghaidh deireadh 2030 go mbeidh 20% den Státseirbhís in ann Gaeilge a úsáid. Is sprioc mhór agus dúshlánach í sin dúinn, ach beidh muid ag úsáid na gcleachtaí ó Ghaeilge365 chun é a oibriú amach.”
“Ar dtús, ba é an aidhm a bhí agam le haghaidh Gaeilge365 ná airgead a chur ar fáil dó le go mbeadh sé in ann dul ar aghaidh leis an obair thábhachtach i mBaile Átha Cliath. Tá sé tar éis 150,000 deis chainte Gaeilge a thabhairt do dhaoine a bhíonn ag úsáid seirbhísí sna ceithre údarás áitiúil i mBaile Átha Cliath. Leis an airgead atá ag teacht ó mo Roinn, agus leis an obair atá idir lámha agam agus ag an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Buttimer, beidh an t-airgead sin ann agus beidh sé in ann leanúint leis sin. Gabhaim buíochas leis na húdaráis áitiúla atá rannpháirteach, go háirithe leis na comhairleoirí ar na húdaráis áitiúla a sheas i bhfabhar an airgid seo, atá ag teacht ó na húdaráis áitiúla féin sna ceithre áit sin.”
“Déanaim comhghairdeas le foireann Gaeilge365, a raibh an t-ádh uirthi duais a bhaint amach ag Gradam na Seirbhísí Poiblí Níos Fearr cúpla seachtain ó shín. Is project iontach é agus tá mé ag iarraidh é a leathnú amach go gach cuid den tír.”
“Leis an gcur chuige nuálach a bhí ag Gaeilge365 ón tús, agus baill fhoirne ón gcomhairle cathrach trí chéile rannpháirteach ann, bhíothas in ann cruthaitheacht na Gaeilge a chur i láthair. Tá Gaeilge365 leathnaithe anois go réigiún uile Bhaile Átha Cliath. Tá maoiniú os cionn €4.5 milliún bainteach leis an gclár seo don tréimhse 2025-2028. Tá 50% den mhaoiniú sin ag teacht ó mo Roinn féin, agus tá an 50% eile ag teacht ó na ceithre údarás áitiúla i mBaile Átha Cliath. Tá leathnú ar Gaeilge365 leagtha amach mar ghníomh sonrach sa chlár Rialtais, mar a dúirt an Teachta. Táthar ag súil go mbeidh an deis ann amach anseo eiseamláir Bhaile Átha Cliath a chur i ngníomh sna húdaráis áitiúla ar fud an Stáit.”
“Is é Gaeilge365 an chéad aonad nuálaíochta a oibríonn trí mheán na Gaeilge sa tseirbhís phoiblí agus é mar aidhm leis deachleachtais a chruthú i dtaobh na modhanna is féidir le húdaráis áitiúla a úsáid le tuilleadh deiseanna labhartha Gaeilge a chruthú don phobal. Bhunaigh Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath Gaeilge365 mar thionscadal píolótach in 2023 le tacaíocht airgid ó chlár Éire Ildánach, tacaíocht a bhí fíorthábhachtach le tús a chur leis an tionscnamh. Ba é aidhm an tionscadail phíolótaigh sin cur chuige nuálach a chur sa siúl ionas go gcruthófaí breis deiseanna don phobal an Ghaeilge a labhairt trí sheirbhísí Chomhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath.”
“Aontaím go mór leis sin. Tá na Gaeilgeoirí ann agus tá siad ag iarraidh bogadh abhaile nó go dtí an Ghaeltacht ach tá fadhb agus dúshlán ann le tithe saoire freisin. Tá daoine nach bhfuil suim sa Ghaeilge acu atá ag iarraidh bheith sa cheantar. Dream níos tábhachtaí ná sin is ea iad daoine a rugadh sa Ghaeltacht nach bhfuil Gaeilge acu. Tá muid ag iarraidh balance a shroicheadh idir na daoine le Gaeilge atá ag iarraidh bogadh isteach go dtí an Ghaeltacht chun a gcuid Gaeilge a úsáid agus na daoine as ceantair Ghaeltachta nach bhfuil Gaeilge acu. Níl mórán suime agam i dtithe saoire. Tá mé ag iarraidh go mbeidh daoine ina gcónaí sna háiteanna Gaeltachta seo, go háirithe daoine le Gaeilge. Tá an dréacht-ráiteas ann. Beidh mé ag obair leis an Aire tithíochta air seo, ach níl monopoly agam ina leith seo ach an oiread.”
“Ní riail iondúil é. It is not a normal rule mar gheall go mbaineann sé le cúrsaí teanga. I gcomhthéacs an ráitis, tá obair le déanamh againn ar chóras nua i gcomhair enforcement.”
“Tuigim é sin. Tuigim na buarthaí atá ag grúpaí cosúil leis an gconradh, BÁNÚ agus na Teachtaí féin ach níl aon chaighdeán náisiúnta ann ag an bpointe seo. Athraíonn sé ó údarás áitiúil go húdarás áitiúil. Táimid ag iarraidh caighdeán náisiúnta a chur air. Beimid in ann é sin a phlé tar éis sin. Chomh maith leis sin, cé go bhfuil na coinníollacha ann, an bhfuil na cainteoirí ann? Tá sé tábhachtach é sin a scrúdú freisin. B'fhéidir go bhfuil obair le déanamh againn air sin. Tá na coinníollacha pleanála ann ach an bhfuil daoine ag úsáid na Gaeilge tar éis bogadh isteach? Léiríonn na figiúirí atá againn ón census go bhfuil difríocht idir na figiúirí sin agus an líon daoine atá ag úsáid na Gaeilge gach uile lá. Nuair atá coinníollacha ann, tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuil enforcement ann freisin. Tá brón orm. Níl an focal Gaeilge agam.”
“I gcás cainteoir Gaeilge nach bhfuil aon cheangal teaghlaigh aige leis an nGaeltacht agus atá ag iarraidh bogadh ann, beidh feidhm fós ag an riail chónaithe cúig-bliana, le hais riail deich mbliana do chainteoirí Béarla. Cé go bhfuil sé inmhianaithe cainteoirí Gaeilge a bheith in ann bogadh go dtí an Ghaeltacht, ní féidir linn cás a bheith againn ina bhfaigheann cainteoirí Gaeilge cead pleanála toisc gur cainteoirí Gaeilge iad amháin. Tá obair le déanamh ar an dréachtráiteas. Tá suim agam obair leis an Teachta chun an obair sin a dhéanamh.”
“Beidh an modh seo chun íoslíon aonad a chur in áirithe bunaithe ar chéatadán na gcainteoirí lasmuigh den chóras oideachais móide 10%, mar atá molta, bunaithe ar chomhdhéanamh teanga reatha an cheantair seachas figiúr aonfhoirmeach náisiúnta a leagan síos i ngach ceantar Gaeltachta. Is éard atá i gceist leis seo ná cinnteacht a thabhairt do phleanálaithe agus do dhaoine ar mian leo fanacht ina gcónaí ina bpobail tuaithe nó filleadh orthu agus, ag an am céanna, tacú le tuath bhríomhar inbhuanaithe in Éirinn. Léiríonn an cur chuige seo an treo ina bhfuil polasaí an Rialtais ag dul i dtaca le pleanáil i gceantair Ghaeltachta. Ar ndóigh, beidh plé le páirtithe leasmhara sna seachtainí agus sna míonna amach romhainn. Sa chomhthéacs seo, tá cruinniú faoin dréachtráiteas sceidealta idir m'oifigigh agus Conradh na Gaeilge níos déanaí an mhí seo.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis as an mBille um intleacht shaorga. Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis as an obair sin. Mar is eol don Teachta, is í an Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta atá freagrach as an dréachtráiteas náisiúnta pleanála ach is cinnte go bhfuil plé idir na Ranna éagsúla atá faoi mo chúram maidir leis an dréachtráiteas seo. Faoi láthair, níl aon mhodh comhsheasmhach ann d'údaráis phleanála áitiúla nuair a bhíonn forbróirí ag cur céatadán d'fhorbairt tithíochta atá beartaithe in áirithe do chainteoirí Gaeilge.”
“I assure the Deputy that I will not be washing my hands of it but, equally, the council has to show interest and intent. I am not going to spoon-feed the council. We have councils and, in fairness, South Dublin County Council is very proactive in relation to the scheme for the refurbishment of centres. When we launch the scheme next year, we will launch it in partnership with local authorities around the country. It is a very substantial investment programme on the part of the Department. It provides centres and places for the communities the Deputy has highlighted to gather. I hope to issue the call around this time in 2027. We will be preparing that call and engaging with local authorities through the CCMA and other groups in the meantime.”
“I am happy to work with the Deputy and to put him in touch with other communities where new-build centres have been brought to their current stage. As I have said, 12 projects are nearly finalised. These are totally new builds and come on top of all the refurbishments.”
“That is why the then Minister, Heather Humphreys, brought in the community centre investment fund. It is also why she expanded it to new builds. We will launch that again in 2027. To date, over €988,000 has been awarded to 23 community centres. Citywest sounds like a place that needs a community centre. We have a track record of investing. For example, Newcastle in Galway is an urban centre. We have worked with Galway City Council and with the local community. I had the pleasure of turning the sod on that development two weeks ago. That will be ready for occupation in late 2027. As I have said, I am certainly happy to keep the Deputy informed. We will have a call for funding in 2027. It is more than likely that will be around this time next year.”
“I am happy to work with the Deputy, South Dublin County Council and the community in Citywest to ensure this facility delivers for the local community. My Department has funded eight different projects in south Dublin through the community centre investment fund. The Deputy's local authority has a very good record of delivering for us. We look forward to working with it on any potential application.”
“Under the 2023 round of CCIF, over €30 million was approved for the construction of 12 new-build community facilities. These are substantial construction projects, with the scheme providing funding of up to €6 million. I hope to be in a position to announce funding for new-build community centres in 2027. I have been informed that planning permission has been approved to construct a community centre and crèche in the Cúil Dúin Avenue area of Citywest. From contact with South Dublin County Council, I understand that the project will commence later this year and that the local authority is engaging with the developer. To date, my Department has not received any application for support for this project.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. I will begin by acknowledging the importance of having appropriate facilities in communities such as Citywest. Community centres are vital for bringing communities together and providing an outlet for services and for social, cultural and community activities. The community centre investment fund, CCIF, was introduced to provide high-quality community facilities that are available to all groups in all areas. Earlier this year, the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I launched the fourth iteration of community centre investment funding. This round of the scheme is providing funding of up to €100,000 for the refurbishment of existing facilities. This is additional to the €80 million that has already been approved since 2022 for over 1,600 community centre enhancement projects.”
“Tá an tAire, an Teachta Lawless, tar éis cúrsa nua le haghaidh mhúinteoireacht bunscoile a chur ar fáil ionas go mbeimid in ann daoine le Gaeilge a thabhairt isteach go dtí na poist sin. Mar sin, tá sé an-tábhachtach dúinn. Cé go bhfuil sé tábhachtach, tá dúshláin ann. Táimid dírithe ar na dúshláin sin, agus bím ag obair le mo chomhghleacaithe Rialtais ina leith. Seasann na ceannasaithe Rialtais – An Taoiseach, An Tánaiste agus an tAire Stáit, an Teachta Canney - leis an sprioc sin. Beimid, i ngach cuid den Rialtas, ag obair chun an sprioc 20% a bhaint amach chomh luath agus is féidir.”
“Is as Maigh Eo dó, agus tá sé sin tábhachtach, ach léiríonn sé sin go bhfuil sé ag obair ar na saghsanna figiúirí agus go mbeidh eolas againn faoi na figiúirí. Tá sin as an údarás. Táimid ag cabhrú leis an údarás. Táimid an-dáiríre faoin sprioc 20%. Beidh sé dúshlánach. Níl aon dabht go mbeidh dúshlán ann, ach tá sé tábhachtach freisin do na daoine a bhfuil Gaeilge acu sa Státseirbhís ag an bpointe seo agus go mbeidh siad páirteach ann. Beidh siad páirteach san iarracht sin. Ar maidin, bhíomar ag obair leis an Aire, an Teachta Lawless, tar éis bhunú coiste nua Rialtais le haghaidh obair a dhéanamh sa tríú leibhéal agus go mbeidh cúrsaí tríú leibhéal as Gaeilge le haghaidh na sprice sin a bhaint amach. Baineann sé le cúrsaí leighis, cúrsaí teicniúla agus cúrsaí litríochta.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanad as díospóireacht a dhéanamh ar an mBille tábhachtach seo inniu, go háirithe na Seanadóirí a bhí ann le haghaidh an Dara Céim freisin. In ainneoin nach mbeimid in ann aon cheann de na leasuithe a thógáil, tuigim go mór an brú atá ar na Gaeltachtaí faoi chúrsaí tithíochta agus táimid dírithe ar an dúshlán sin. Táimid ag obair leis an Aire tithíochta, an Teachta Browne, le haghaidh ráiteas pleanála Gaeltachta. Táimid chun é sin a fhoilsiú an-luath. Freisin, táimid ag obair leis an údarás. Cuirimid airgead go dtí an t-údarás chun poist nua a bhunú san údarás, oifigigh atá i gceannas ar eolas faoi thithe folmha sa Ghaeltacht. Colm Mac Eachmharcaigh atá i gceannas ar sin.”
“Cé go mbeidh ról tánaisteach tábhachtach ag an údarás i gcúrsaí tithíochta, níl sé ceart ná féaráilte le rá gurb é an freagra ar an dúshlán mór seo. Is é sin an fáth nach féidir liom glacadh leis an leasú seo.”
“Luíonn an príomhról maidir le pleanáil tithíochta leis na húdaráis áitiúla. Tá muid ag obair ar ráiteas pleanála tithíochta don Ghaeltacht chomh maith. Ag an bpointe seo, tá deontas ar fáil do thithe folmha sa Ghaeltacht. Níl na figiúirí díreacha agam ach cuirfear iad thar ríomhphost chuig na Seanadóirí. Léiríonn na figiúirí, agus an méid airgid a íocadh amach, go bhfuil a lán daoine ag baint úsáid as na tithe folmha sa Ghaeltacht. Tá ardú mór ar líon na gceadúnas pleanála sa Ghaeltacht le haghaidh tithe nua a thógáil sa Ghaeltacht. Mar sin, tá rudaí ag tarlú. Níl sé féaráilte an rud sin a chur ar an údarás. Tá mé ag iarraidh go mbeidh sé dírithe ar ról fiontair, sóisialta agus teangeolaíochta.”
“Ní gníomhaireacht tithíochta nó údarás áitiúil é an t-údarás, agus tá sé tábhachtach é seo a rá. Bíonn údaráis áitiúla ag feidhmiú sna ceantair Ghaeltachta ar fad, agus titeann cúram na tithíochta orthu. Baineann an Bille seo le toghchán chuig bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta a athbhunú. Tá sé tábhachtach tosaíocht a thabhairt don sprioc sin agus muid ag iarraidh an reachtaíocht a bhrú ar aghaidh. Tá Údarás na Gaeltachta freagrach as forbairt eacnamaíoch, sóisialta, teangeolaíochta agus cultúir sa Ghaeltacht. Mar a dúirt mé, tá cumhachtaí cuimsitheacha ag an eagraíocht cheana féin maidir le maoin a cheannach nó a fháil agus an t-údarás ag tabhairt faoi fhorbairt eacnamaíoch, sóisialta, teangeolaíochta agus cultúir sa Ghaeltacht. Beidh ról an-tábhachtach ag an údarás i gcúrsaí tithíochta, ach is ról tánaisteach é.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis na Seanadóirí as an leasú. Tá cumhacht ag Údarás na Gaeltachta maoin a cheannach agus a dhíol faoi láthair. Tá tithíocht san áireamh leis seo mar is maoin atá i dtithíocht. Faoin reachtaíocht reatha, tá sé de chumhacht ag an údarás talamh, foirgnimh, margaí, áitribh nó gléasra a fháil, a ghlacadh ar aistriú, a shealbhú, a dhíol, a mhorgáistiú, a léasú, a ligean nó a dhiúscairt ar shlí eile agus foirgnimh, margaí, áitribh nó gléasra a thógáil, a athrú nó a chothabháil. Níl sé i gceist agam an leasú seo a chur san áireamh sa Bhille le go mbeadh an t-údarás ag tógáil tithe sa Ghaeltacht. Ina áit sin, tacóidh an eagraíocht le soláthar tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht. Níl sé i gceist agam go mbeidh an t-údarás ag bainistiú thógáil tithe nó scéimeanna tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht ach oiread.”
“We are working towards including them. I assure the Senator, and I want to emphasise, that I do not want a situation where customers of the Department of Social Protection end up with a build-up of tax liabilities. We are working towards addressing this.”
“Tax exemptions are a matter for the Minister for Finance, but I assure the Senator that we want to ensure our payments, which are a lifeline to so many, do not lead to a build-up of tax liability. I absolutely want to avoid a situation of surprise or anxiety. I am totally with the Senator on that. That is why we share the data in relation to taxable social welfare payments. We share it on a weekly basis to allow the tax to be deducted throughout the year rather than at the end. I have gone through the method. I assure the Senator that the decision letters that are issued to customers state clearly whether they need to notify Revenue or whether we include the data in the taxable payments report. There are about 18,000 customers on six schemes that are not included in the weekly taxable payments report.”
“This ensures that the Department of Social Protection payment is paid gross to the recipient, while the salary or pension paid by the employer would have any tax due on both the social welfare payment and the employment deducted from it. Senior officials in my Department engage regularly with Revenue by means of a joint high-level group that meets to discuss matters of mutual interest. The group is currently in discussions about including those last few taxable social welfare schemes on the taxable payments report. I endorse the Senator’s remarks on the Revenue Commissioners and their work. I thank her for raising this issue. I will continue to keep in touch with her on it as we progress towards sharing the information.”