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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“In August 2024, my Department published a review of the wage subsidy scheme. The review made six recommendations, including to reduce the minimum required hours of the scheme, to regularly review the subsidy rate and to expand the scheme to employers outside of the private sector. These recommended changes have been made to the scheme. It is hoped they will make the scheme more accessible and flexible for people with disabilities and their employers. We will launch an information campaign this month to highlight the expanded scope of the scheme and to promote a greater level of awareness and take-up among employers.”
“The rate of subsidy varies with the number of people with disabilities employed under the scheme, from €6.30 per hour when an employer hires one worker with a disability, increasing by 10% when the number employed is three or more and reaching a maximum of €9.45 per hour, when the number of people with a disability in employment with the employer exceeds 22. Employers who employ 25 or more people with a disability will also benefit from a €30,000 per year grant towards the cost of employing an employment assistance officer. Employers can also avail of a range of supports under the work and access scheme, including support with the cost of workplace adaptations. As of March 2025, 1,501 employers partaking of the wage subsidy scheme and 2,464 people with disabilities were supported through the scheme.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an cheist seo. On the wage subsidy scheme, employers face a risk when hiring any new worker, including in the context of whether the worker has the ability to do the job. Many employers perceive the risk as greater when a person under consideration has a disability, even where that person is highly qualified and able to do the job. It is important that we seek to neutralise this perceived risk to level the playing field faced by a person with a disability when he or she is competing for employment against other jobseekers. That is what the wage subsidy scheme seeks to do - to assist to level this playing field. To do this, the scheme incentivises and supports employers to hire people with a disability by providing a subsidy to reduce ongoing salary costs.”
“As we have also reflected, the carer's allowance weekly income disregard will increase in July from €450 to €625 for a single person and from €900 to €1,250 for a couple. Since June 2022, there has been a cumulative increase of €292.50 for a single carer and €585 for a carer who is part of a couple. We increased the capital disregard in June 2022 so a carer with a spouse or partner can now have capital of up to €100,000. The trajectory of the commitment in the programme for Government is backed up by the changes that have been made over the past number of years. Those kinds of changes and level of commitment to carers will continue.”
“The commitment has to be looked at in light of the improvements that have been made in recent years, which I am determined to continue. In the context of the Deputy's final remarks, the long-term carer's contribution scheme was introduced in January 2024. Under this scheme, a person who has been a full-time carer - and yes, the Deputy is right that they are predominantly women - for an incapacitated dependant for at least 20 years, now get long-term carer's contributions that will cover gaps in their contribution record and help them to qualify for a contributory State pension. As part of budget 2025, the carer's support grant was increased by €150 to €2,000. That is the highest rate ever for this grant.”
“I thank the Deputy. I meant to clarify in reply to Deputy O'Reilly earlier that we are conducting a review of the means test process across all schemes in the Department. Means tests are important but they are how the process is implemented. I look forward to hearing people's views on that. We will engage with the Minister for public expenditure on this issue. He is aware of the commitment in the programme for Government. If we look at the changes that have been made in recent years to the income disregard, they show a direction of travel that we intend to continue. The commitment is there in the programme for Government. It is based on me having the resources to do that and I am determined to fight for those resources on an annual basis during the term of this Government.”
“As the Deputy said, the programme for Government commits to continue this process and to significantly increase the income disregards for carer's allowance in each budget, during the lifetime of the Government, with an aim to ultimately phase out the means test during the lifetime of the Government. I will work with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to give effect to this commitment over a number of budgets. Other supports for carers are also provided by the Department that are not based on a means assessment. These include the carer’s support grant, carer’s benefit and the domiciliary care allowance.”
“However, it is also important that income limits used in means tests are calibrated to reflect the ability of recipients to earn income from other sources and, in so doing, reduce their dependence on a welfare payment. In this respect, the income disregards for carers are already the most generous in the social welfare system and are being further improved. This July, the weekly income disregard will increase from €450 to €625 for a single person, and from €900 to €1,250 for carers with a spouse or partner. This means that a carer in a two-adult household with an income of approximately €69,000 will still retain their full carer's payment and even with an income of €97,000 will retain a partial payment.”
“I had this question down on behalf of Deputy O'Gorman but I thank Deputy Murphy for the question. The carer's allowance is the main scheme by which my Department provides income support to carers. There are currently 99,256 people in receipt of carer's allowance. Expenditure in 2025 is estimated at more than €1.24 billion. In common with other social welfare payments, the primary objective of the carer's allowance payment is to provide an income support to people experiencing a contingency that significantly limits their ability to earn an income through employment. Carer's allowance is means tested under current social welfare legislation. Within the social welfare system, means tests are used as a means of targeting income transfers to those most in need, in a progressive and equitable manner.”
“I will work closely with the committee. It has always been a very collegial committee and has the interests of those with disabilities at heart. I am determined to work with the committee to come up with solutions and reforms. This applies not just to social protection but across services as well. We have a lot of work under way in this space and I hope that by the time we come to the end of our term in government that there will be a lot of positive change in this space.”
“It is something we will examine, working through the Cabinet committee on disability, which meets monthly, to come up with a timeline on it.”
“I do not have a specific timeline yet but we are working on it. There are a number of different reports on the cost of disability, which have widely varying figures. One of the first things I am trying to do is address and come up with a figure that actually reflects the reality of it. When we have a figure we can work on, we will look at a timeline. From next week, applications for domiciliary care allowance can be made online, which is a small but important change that gives people the chance to avail of that option. I am absolutely focused on this space in order that we can do it in a way that reflects not just the cost but also the pressures that people with a disability and their families are under at this time and in a way that treats them with respect and dignity.”
“As part of this work, my Department is examining the best way of delivering an annual cost-of-disability payment within the overall budgetary context. The Deputy can be assured this is a matter I intend to progress during my term in the Department.”
“The Indecon report on the cost of disability, commissioned and funded by my Department, found that the extra costs of disability are due to factors including higher costs of healthcare, transport, education and other services that arise because of a higher level of dependence on these services by people with disabilities. The report noted that addressing these costs was not simply a matter of a higher welfare payment but would need to incorporate improvements in services. This report recommended that any additional public expenditure should be targeted on areas where high potential costs are creating hardship, rather than spreading resources thinly. An Taoiseach is chairing a Cabinet committee on disability with a view to driving and monitoring progress on implementing all programme for Government commitments in this area.”
“As part of last year's budget, significant supports for people with disabilities were introduced, including: an October 2024 cost-of-living bonus for people in receipt of a long-term weekly social welfare payment; a €400 cost-of-living lump sum payment for people in receipt of disability allowance, invalidity pension or blind pension in November 2024; a €200 cost-of-living lump sum payment to people who are getting a living alone allowance in November 2024; and a €12 increase in the maximum personal rate of weekly disability payments from January 2025.”
“The Government recognises the additional costs associated with having a disability and is committed to improving outcomes for disabled people. In the programme for Government, we are committed to introducing a permanent annual cost of disability support payment. These commitments will build on progress made in recent years where we have taken steps to recognise the additional costs associated with having a disability.”
“The report to which I referred did not examine areas outside the Department of Social Protection. That may be something for the incoming social protection committee to reflect on as it begins its work programme.”
“It is incredibly confusing for people when means tests are assessed in different ways for different schemes and services. This is the case even within my Department. There are often valid reasons for this, however. Schemes are being developed to cater for people in different circumstances and who are experiencing different and difficult contingencies. That said, the social protection system does not operate in a vacuum. The means-testing aspects of our social welfare system coexist with means tests in operation across other domains such as health services, education, housing and preschool childcare. It is a matter for each Minister. Based on our experience since last year, however, I intend to highlight and bring to their attention that experience.”
“On foot of our discussions arising from the Deputy’s question, I will highlight what has been achieved in my Department with colleagues in relevant Ministries.”
“This change means that people on reduced rates of payment may have seen their payment increase and those who may not have qualified at all up to then may now be able to access a payment. Following the introduction of this change, my Department reviewed approximately 65,000 claims for one-parent family payment and jobseeker's transitional payment in payment. As a result, child maintenance payments were removed from the means assessments of approximately 15,800 people, something we can all agree is a positive measure. The means test or income assessments for other State services, such as the medical card, are a matter for the relevant Minister with responsibility for those payments or services.”
“I thank the Deputy for her question and for raising this issue. As she will be aware, the Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 provided for changes to the social welfare means test to exclude child maintenance payments from assessment in all means-tested payments that my Department provides. This was one of the recommendations of the report of the child maintenance review group into the social welfare system. This change to the social welfare means test came into legal effect from June 2024. As a result of this change, the full amount of child maintenance a person receives is no longer being assessed in the means test for any social welfare payment.”
“It is dependent on the eligible young adult attending an accredited education course, a third level course or a training programme as outlined in their own aftercare plan. The allowance is provided to cover a young adult's day-to-day costs, including accommodation, as they progress in their chosen course or training programme. I will come back in the next round on the question relating to information.”
“Tusla has a duty under section 45 of the Child Care Act 1991 to make a decision whether each person leaving care has a need for assistance and then to provide services in accordance with the legislation, subject to the resources. On reaching the age of 18, a young person is deemed to have left State care. Young people who have a care history with Tusla are entitled to an aftercare service based on their eligibility and assessed needs. The assessment considers a number of factors, including the young person's educational and accommodation needs. If deemed necessary, Tusla will provide financial support to eligible care leavers who are engaged in a qualifying educational course or training programme. That aftercare allowance amounts to €300 per week.”
“This scheme provides financial support to people living in private rented accommodation whose means cannot meet their accommodation costs and where accommodation is not available to them from any other source. That could include somebody leaving care on their 18th birthday. Also, additional needs payments are available to assist those who have essential expenses such as rent deposits, rent in advance and household bills that they cannot pay from their weekly income. This full range of supports is available to young people leaving care. We work in conjunction not just with the statutory authorities but with advocacy groups as well to address this. I am more than open to suggestions as to how we tighten this up.”
“There is legislative provision that age-related reduced jobseeker’s allowance rates do not apply to young jobseekers who were in the care of Tusla for any period during the 12 months immediately before their 18th birthday. The full standard rate of personal jobseeker’s allowance of €244 per week is payable in these circumstances. With regard to the specific issue mentioned by the Deputy, we operate a person-focused national protocol in conjunction with other agencies to help those who are homeless. Importantly, a person does not need a permanent address to apply for a social protection payment or service or to receive a social welfare payment. Where necessary, short-term rent supplement can be paid by my Department.”
“The staff in my Department are acutely aware of the challenges faced by young people who leave care and are available to them to assist with the provision of social protection income and employment supports. The Department's staff engage with a range of stakeholders and advocacy groups working with vulnerable people. For instance in Dublin, staff engage with the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive and in the local network of children and young people's services committees as part of the process of co-ordinating the delivery of supports to vulnerable people, including the group the Deputy has referred to, those leaving care.”
“I join the Deputy in wishing a happy 50th to Balbriggan meals on wheels; it is welcome to the club. I agree with the Deputy. We will certainly have a look at it. The first thing to do is review the nutritional standards. We will complete the roll-out of the school meals programme into every remaining primary school in September. That is a good time to stand back, take stock and see how we can improve it. This is a very substantial investment on the part of the Department. Many of the suppliers are not complete corporate monoliths; they are small local companies as well doing local things. I want to give credit to the local companies in this. We will have a chance to take stock and the issues the Deputy raised are definitely worth reflecting on.”
“I would certainly be happy to consider that. There would be logistics issues. Some schools feed hundreds of students every day with a range of meal options. It could work, from a nutritional point of view as well, in that locally supplied food is generally healthier in this context. It is something we might even ask the nutrition review to consider as well. Anything we can do to help in the not-for-profit sector in this space, which is doing really amazing work as it is, I would be happy to do.”
“The Department conducts site visits and inspections in schools to identify if, among other things, the menu options are compliant with the specified standards. I have directed that a review of the scheme’s nutritional standards be undertaken. This will be conducted by a dietician who will be supervised by the Department of Health in co-ordination with the interdepartmental group on school meals. I have asked for a report on those standards be submitted by the end of the year. In the meantime, food that is high in saturated fat, sugar and salt will be removed from school menus by September 2025.”
“These standards are available to all schools and suppliers and are publicly available on gov.ie . My Department provides the funding for the meals directly to the school. All schools are responsible for choosing their school meals supplier in a fair and transparent manner in accordance with public procurement rules. These rules clearly define the successful tenderer's responsibilities and obligations, including in particular adherence to the nutritional standards. My Department does not select the suppliers. In that context, if a school were to contract meals on wheels as its supplier, then that would be permitted, subject to procurement, nutrition and the other applicable requirements being met.”
“I thank the Deputy for her question and correspondence on this issue. On the nutritional value of school meals, I am very aware of the concerns that have been expressed. It is important to note that each week, parents are provided with a menu of food options and it is the parents who select the food to be served to their children in that week. It is important, in my view, that parents continue to have this role. Second, the menu of food options presented to the parents is required to comply with standards set by the Department. These standards, the nutritional standards for school meals, were developed by a technical nutrition subgroup comprised of dieticians from the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute, the HSE, Safefood, and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.”
“Tá sé i gceist sna leasuithe reachtaíochta seo go mbuailfidh gach coiste réigiúnach le grúpaí pleanála teanga ina réigiún Ghaeltachta agus go dtabharfaidh na coistí réigiúnacha tuairisc don údarás i ndiaidh gach cruinniú, a chuideoidh leis an údarás lena cuid oibre. Láidreoidh sé sin an nasc idir pobal na Gaeltachta agus Údarás na Gaeltachta. Tá sé sin an-tábhachtach. Táim sásta breathnú ar an bpíosa sin le hé a láidriú. Tá súil agam go gcinnteoidh an cur chuige nua maidir le ceapadh an bhoird, mar aon leis an mbearta a bhaineann leis na coistí réigiúnacha, ionadaíocht iomlán daonlathach agus rannpháirtíocht iomlán na bpobal Gaeltachta i gcúrsaí a bhaineann leis an údarás. Táim cosúil le broken record - mo leithscéal as sin - ach tá sé an-tábhachtach gur bord Stáit agus údarás atá ann.”
“Mar gheall ar chúrsaí an údaráis, tá an ceart ag an Teachta go bhfuil cúrsaí fiontar agus trádála i gceist. Uaireanta bíonn cúrsaí an-príobháideacha ar bun ag an údarás maidir le comhlachtaí atá ag lorg deontais, agus ba cheart go mbeadh na himeachtaí sin príobháideach. Is é sin an fáth gur bord rialachais é bord an údaráis; tá sé freagrach as a chinntiú go bhfuil na heagraíochtaí á rith ó thaobh bainistíocht airgeadais, acmhainní daonna agus ábhair eile a bhaineann le comhlachtaí Stáit. Aontaím gur obair fíorthábhachtach atá ann agus nach féidir cuid den obair sin a dhéanamh os comhair na ceamaraí nó go poiblí. Le bheith freagrach, tá sé tábhachtach go n-éisteofar le guth an phobail agus go bhfuil deis ag an bpobal a cuid mianta a bhrú chun cinn.”
“Táimid ar ais ag an agóid céanna idir bhord Stáit agus údarás. Tuigim an pointe a rinne an Teachta Ó Snodaigh go bhfuil coistí Oireachtais in ann dul go dtí seisiún príobháideach. Bhí an Teachta McGuinness ag lorg sampla d'aon áit ina bhfuil daoine tofa ann ach nach bhfuil ceamaraí ann. Bhí mé ag déanamh machnaimh air, agus smaoinigh mé ar Choimisiún Thithe an Oireachtais. Ní dóigh liom go mbíonn ceamaraí in úsáid ag cruinnithe an choimisiúin. Ní dóigh liom go n-úsáidtear ceamaraí sna Choiste Ghnó anseo ach an oiread, ach b'fhéidir go mbeadh sé níos fearr dá mbeidís in úsáid tar éis an mhéid a tharla i mbliana. B'fhéidir go mbeadh sé níos fearr athrú a dhéanamh sa choiste sin; níl mé ach ag magadh. Léiríonn sé an pointe atá á dhéanamh agam - nuair atá gnó príobháideach le plé ag coiste poiblí, ní bhíonn na ceamaraí ar siúl.”
“Dá mbeadh an bóthar níos leithne, b'fhéidir nach mbeadh sé in ann díriú ar na deiseanna atá ann agus ar na fadhbanna atá ann. Ag an am céanna, ní bheadh mórán brú ar an údarás áitiúil mar gheall ar chúrsaí Gaeilge ná Gaeltachta. Bheadh sé ag rá go bhfuil na rudaí sin le haghaidh an údaráis. Tá a fhios ag an Teachta go dtapóidh na húdaráis áitiúla an deis sin má tá sé acu. Is é sin an taithí atá againn go léir. Níl mé in ann glacadh leis na leasuithe. Is é sin an fáth. Táim ag iarraidh go mbeimid dírithe ar ról an údaráis, go bhfanfaidh sé leis an ról sin, go mbeidh sé freagrach as agus go mbaineann sé gach buntáiste agus deis as.”
“Tá sé tábhachtach go n-aithníonn an Teachta go bhfuil airgead breise tugtha agus leasuithe breise déanta maidir le cúrsaí pleanála teanga an údaráis nach raibh ann roimhe seo. Rinneadh infheistíocht sa phróiseas pleanála sin. Tá ról an údaráis difriúil ón ról a bhí aige. Tá suim mhór agam in infheistíocht i gcúrsaí fiontraíochta an údaráis freisin. Tá taithí orm ar an údarás agus tá an-suim agam ann. Mar Aire Stáit sa Roinn fiontair, chaith mé am leis an údarás in Freudenberg Medical sa Spidéal. Bhí sé sin iontach. Mar a dúirt mé, tá rudaí ag tarlú maidir le cúrsaí cumarsáide freisin. Tá an t-údarás ag baint úsáide as airgead ach ba cheart go mbeadh airgead breise aige chun é a chaitheamh ar chúrsaí fiontraíochta, ar chúrsaí turasóireachta agus, b'fhéidir, ar chúrsaí tithíochta. Tá sé ar an mbóthar sin.”
“Tuigim é sin, agus táim ag iarraidh é a phlé, ach sin an fhadhb atá againn. Ag an bpointe seo, an bhfuilimid ag déanamh ról an údaráis rómhór? An bhfuil seans, dá ndéanfaí an ról sin rómhór, nach mbeadh sé dírithe ar na príomhjabanna atá aige, cúrsaí fiontair, cultúrtha agus tithíochta ina measc? Cé a dhéanfadh é? Cé a bheadh dírithe ar chúrsaí fiontair agus ar an gclár iontach sin maidir le cumhacht agus fiontar na mban sa Ghaeltacht? Cé a dhíreodh ar chúrsaí cultúrtha? Cé a dhéanfadh an jab sin mar ní bheadh an t-údarás áitiúil á dhéanamh?”
“Chonaic mé an scéal sa The Irish Times faoin gcaoi nach bhfuil mórán suime ag mórán daoine dul go dtí na hoileáin. Caithfimid déileáil leis sin, ach baineann sé sin le mo Roinn, Roinn na Gaeltachta agus an Roinn forbartha tuaithe, agus leis na húdaráis áitiúla. Beidh ról ag an údarás sna hoileáin maidir le cúrsaí fiontair agus cúrsaí turasóireachta, ach níl mé ag iarraidh jab an údaráis a dhéanamh chomh leathan nach mbeidh sé in ann an jab a dhéanamh. Is é sin an rud is mó suime dom, go mbeidh jab ag an údarás, go mbeidh sé in ann é a dhéanamh agus go mbeidh sé freagrach as an jab sin a dhéanamh. Tá dainséar ann go ndéanfaí an jab sin chomh leathan go dtitfeadh a lán rudaí eile sna cracks. Tuigim go bhfuil fadhb mhór tithíochta ann, agus táim ag díriú air sin, ach ní hé freagra na ceiste jab i bhfad níos mó a thabhairt don údarás.”
“Bhí an chumhacht acu agus bhí an t-airgead acu. Ba cheart go mbeidh cúrsaí uisce i bhfad níos fearr. Sular bunaíodh Uisce Éireann, bhí na húdaráis áitiúla i gceannas ach ní dhearna siad é. Mar Aire, deirim le Teachtaí anocht go mbeidh mé ag cur brú ar na húdaráis áitiúla sa Ghaeltacht, agus beidh cruinniú agam leis na príomhfheidhmeannaigh ionas go gcaithfidh siad seasamh suas ar son mhuintir, cheantar agus dhaoine na Gaeltachta atá mar pháirt den údarás. Pléadh cúrsaí na n-oileán freisin. Tuigim go mór na deacrachtaí atá ann. Is é sin an fáth go raibh airgead breise ann le haghaidh na n-oileán sa grant do na tithe folmha. Ba cheart go seasfaidh na húdaráis áitiúla ar son na n-oileán agus go ndéanfaidh siad iarracht é sin a fhoilsiú.”
“Déanann an t-údarás chuile iarracht an cuspóir seo a bhaint amach trí fhorbairt fiontraíochta agus tionscnaimh cruthú fostaíochta a chothú agus a mhaoiniú, chomh maith le tacaíocht a thabhairt d'imeachtaí pobail cultúrtha seanbhunaithe. Tá an t-údarás dírithe ar fhorbairt fiontraíochta agus tionscnaimh fostaíochta den chuid is mó, agus tá sárobair á déanamh aige. Aontaíonn gach duine sa Teach go bhfuil sárobair á déanamh aige i gcomhthéacs an airgid atá aige agus caithfimid obair air sin. Mar sin, tá buairt orm má ghlactar leis na leasuithe seo go bhfuilimid ag rá leis na húdaráis áitiúla go bhfuil free pass acu agus gur faoin údarás a bheidh an cúram sin. Nílim chun é sin a dhéanamh. Tá mífhoighne orm anois faoi cad nach bhfuil na húdaráis áitiúla ag déanamh. Ba cheart go mbeidh cúrsaí ar An gCeathrú Rua réitithe tar éis 25 bliain.”
“Mar a dúirt mé cheana, beidh cruinniú agam leis an Aire, an Teachta Browne, faoi threoirlínte tithíochta na Gaeltachta. Tá na treoirlínte le foilsiú, agus tá oifigigh mo Roinne fós ar fáil chun tacú. Beidh siad, agus beidh muid go léir, ag obair go dian chun na treoirlínte sin a fhoilsiú agus iad a chur ar fáil. Is é caomhnú agus láidriú na Gaeilge mar theanga bheo le cois í a thabhairt mar oidhreacht don chéad ghlúin eile bunchuspóir Údarás na Gaeltachta agus tá an ghníomhaireacht freagrach as forbairt eacnamaíochta, shóisialta, teangeolaíochta agus chultúrtha na Gaeltachta. Táimid chun cúrsaí tithíochta a phlé leis an údarás freisin.”
“Tuigim, i gcomhthéacs infreastruchtúir agus chúrsaí pleanála, tithíochta, uisce agus leictreachais - go háirithe i gcúrsaí leictreachais agus cumarsáide tar éis na Stoirme Éowyn - go bhfuil daoine mífhoighneach agus feargach faoin infreastruchtúr sa Ghaeltacht. Bhí mé ann san ionad community ar An gCeathrú Rua a bhí iontach le linn na Stoirme Éowyn, ach caithfidh muid dul ar ais go dtí na comhlachtaí ar nós Uisce Éireann, Bord Soláthair an Leictreachais agus na daoine atá i gceannas sna sectors sin agus déileáil go díreach leo. Níl sé féaráilte a rá leis an údarás go bhfuil sé i gceannas ar gach fadhb atá sa Ghaeltacht nó a bhaineann le cúrsaí Gaeltachta. Ní miste a nótáil gur chuir mé an straitéis tithíochta chuig na húdaráis áitiúla agus an Roinn tithíochta.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí as na leasuithe. Mar a dúirt mé cúpla am anois, baineann an Bille seo le toghcháin chuig bord an údaráis. Níl mé ag iarraidh saorphas a thabhairt do na húdaráis áitiúla. An bhfuil sé sin á dhéanamh againn? Is é sin an bhuairt atá agam. Tagaim ar ais go dtí sin. Níl sé, agus ní raibh sé riamh i gceist, go leasófaí an reachtaíocht phríomha iomlán, aidhmeanna uile na heagraíochta nó go mbronnfaí cumhachtaí ar Údarás na Gaeltachta. Geallaim don Teachta Ó Snodaigh go mbeidh Bille eile faoin údarás agus cúrsaí Gaeltachta ann. Beidh cúpla Bille eile againn orthu. Tá rudaí ag athrú i gcúrsaí fiontair agus caithfimid é sin a phlé. Beidh deiseanna eile ann comhrá a bheith againn faoi chúrsaí fiontair, AI agus cúrsaí eile mar sin a bhfuil orainn déileáil leo.”
“B’fhéidir nach mbeidh an coiste ar siúl ach beidh mé in ann cruinniú a bheith agam leis an Teachta Ó Snodaigh, leis na Teachtaí McGuinness agus Connolly agus le haon Teachta a bhfuil suim acu i gcúrsaí Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta agus suim i gcúrsaí tithíochta sa Ghaeltachta. Beidh mé in ann cruinniú neamhfhoirmiúil a shocrú roimh an gcéad Chéim eile.”
“Is é sin an fáth go bhfuil mé ag iarraidh cruinniú a eagrú agus cúrsaí a phlé. Beidh cumhachtaí tithíochta i gceist de bharr an Bhille seo. Scrúdóidh mé leasuithe na hoíche anocht arís tar éis an phlé seo. Scrúdóidh mé iad roimh an gcéad Chéim eile agus tiocfaidh mé ais chuig an Teachta roimhe sin. Munar féidir linn aon rud a dhéanamh, fillfidh mé ar an Teachta i bhfad roimhe sin ionas go mbeidh sé in ann na leasuithe a chur le chéile freisin. Tá mé ag iarraidh rudaí a athrú anseo, áfach. Tá mé ag iarraidh ceisteanna a fhreagairt ní hamháin domsa ach freisin le haghaidh muintir na Gaeltachta, muintir na Gaeilge agus an dream atá ag déanamh na feachtasaíochta seo. Tá mé ag iarraidh spás chun na leasuithe a phlé, chun tuiscint níos fearr a bheith agam agus chun iad a phlé leis an Teachta.”
“Ní bheimid in ann gach réiteach ar fhadhbanna tithíochta na Gaeltachta a chur sa Bhille seo ach b’fhéidir go mbeimid in ann úsáid a bhaint as an údarás chun scaffolding a thógáil agus bunús i bhfad níos láidre a dhéanamh chun na fadhbanna a réiteach. Creidim go mór gurb iad na AHBs, nó version de na AHBs, a réiteach a bheimid in ann a úsáid. Mar a dúirt an Teachta McGuinness, tá dúshlán difriúil ag gach Gaeltacht difriúil agus i ngach cuid de na Gaeltachtaí difriúla agus b’fhéidir gur sin an todhchaí. Mar fhocail scoir, beidh cruinniú agam, mar a dúirt mé, leis an Aire tithíochta faoi threoirlínte tithíochta na Gaeltachta. Beidh cruinniú agus comhrá agus beidh mé ag iarraidh na treoirlínte sin a chur le chéile chomh luath agus is féidir.”
“Tá muid ag cur cumhachtaí breise air maidir le cúrsaí tithíochta. Tá mé ag rá leis an Teachta Connolly go bhfuil mé ag tabhairt gealltanais go bhfuil mé ag iarraidh iarracht a dhéanamh na fadhbanna faoi na cumhachtaí atá ag Údarás na Gaeltachta a thuiscint. Tar éis an tuisceana sin a bheith agam, beidh cruinniú agam leis na grúpaí atá ag obair ar na cúrsaí seo, a bhfuil obair na gcapall ar siúl acu. Beidh mé ag léamh tuarascáil an choiste arís agus nuair a thagaimid ar ais chuig an chéad Chéim eile déanfaidh mé iarracht déileáil leis an gceist seo. I gcomhthéacs Bhille faoi thoghchán, táimid ag caint faoi chúrsaí toghcháin agus tá sé tábhachtach.”
“Tá mé ag iarraidh é seo a phlé leis an údarás le hoibriú amach cén fáth nach bhfuil sé ag úsáid na gcumhachtaí. What are the blockages i dtaobh úsáid na gcumhachtaí atá aige? An é airgead nó taithí is cúis leis? Tá mé ag ceapadh go bhfuil tuairimí ag an údarás faoi chúrsaí tithíochta freisin agus tá mé ag iarraidh é sin a phlé leis. Tá mé chun am a thógáil ach ní mórán ama. Tá me ag iarraidh an Bille seo a chríochnú. In ainneoin na rudaí atá ag tarlú sa Teach seo ag an bpointe seo, tá muid ag plé an Bhille seo agus tá mé ag iarraidh dul ar aghaidh leis an mBille. Tá mé ag iarraidh seans a thabhairt chun labhairt le daoine, go háirithe leis an údarás, le fáil amach cén fáth nach bhfuil sé ag baint úsáid as na cumhachtaí atá aige. Tá na cumhachtaí sin ag an údarás le beagnach 50 bliain.”
“B’fhéidir gur AHB Gaeltacht a bheas againn amach anseo. Ó thaobh ról an údaráis, níl tuiscint agam air ag an bpointe seo. Tá mé ag iarraidh deis a bheith agam é a phlé leis an údarás le fáil amach an bhfuil suim aige dul sa treo sin. Tá mé ag iarraidh tuiscint a fháil cén fáth nach bhfuil sé ag baint úsáid as na cumhachtaí atá aige. Tá cumhachtaí láidre aige. Mar a dúirt an Teachta Connolly - déanann muid dearmad faoi seo - tá sé leagtha amach san Acht pleanála go bhfuil an t-eolas aige faoi cad atá ag tarlú. Mar gheall air sin, tá sé ag feidhmiú agus i gceannas ar cad é atá ag tarlú i gcomhthéacs na gcúrsaí tionsclaíochta freisin. Tá i bhfad níos mó eolais aige. Ba cheart go mbeadh sé in ann an t-eolas sin a úsáid. Níl mé ag cur an locht air, áfach.”
“Le dul ar ais go dtí an pointe faoi thaithí agus AHBs, fadó bhí na AHBs, nó na comhlachtaí ceadaithe tithíochta, bunaithe chun tithe áitiúla a chur le chéile ag an am nó tithe ar mhaithe le daoine áitiúla, ach chuaigh siad i dtreo difriúil. Ar an lá gur bunaíodh iad, is cuimhin liom i Maigh Eo gur tháinig na daoine le chéile sna gceantair tuaithe chun scéimeanna tithe a chur le chéile ar mhaithe leis na gceantar sin agus chun fadhbanna na gceantar sin a réiteach. Bhí cúpla sráidbhaile páirteach agus áiteanna gur níos lú ná sráidbhailte iad. Bhí sé seo ar mhaithe le daoine níos sine nó daoine a tháinig ar ais ó thar lear. Is é sin, b’fhéidir, an model go mbeidh ceantair Ghaeltachta ag leanúint. Tá an ceart ag an Teachta McGuinness; tá dúshláin difriúla ag gach uile Gaeltacht agus i measc na sráidbhailte sna Gaeltachtaí iad féin.”