Patrick O'Donovan
Limerick County · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I agree with the Deputy. If anyone who has experienced any difficulties and has contacted the Deputy, I encourage him to pass any specifics on to me. We want to try to make it work.”
“To go back to a previous question, Coimisiún na Meán is self-financed in terms of the regulation. Regulation costs money and that is why levies are imposed. People do not like that, and the previous Deputy said she did not like it. That is a separate issue, however.”
“Failure by a platform to comply can also lead to significant sanctions. However, the developing nature of digital services requires continuing vigilance. The protection of children and young people in the online world remains of the utmost importance to the Government.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht an ábhair tábhachtaigh seo a chur os comhair na Dála ar maidin. Ireland's online safety framework includes the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, the EU Digital Services Act and the online safety code.”
“I do not disagree with the Deputy at all. He gave a good synopsis there as to why the investment in rural broadband is so important. I do not know whether any political party bar my own at the time actually advocated for it, but it has been transformative.”
“It is expected shortly. As I said in my reply, I will bring the report to the Government and then publish it. I do not disagree with anything the Deputy has said. Restitution cannot be a one-way street. We need to see if there is anything in Irish institutions that is connected to, funded by or associated with colonial plundering.”
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“Mar a dúirt mé leis an Teachta Connolly níos luaithe ar maidin, bhí an tAire, an Teachta Calleary, dóchasach go mbeadh sé anseo chun na ceisteanna sin a fhreagairt ach tá cúrsaí pearsanta aige faoi láthair agus níl sé in ann teacht go dtí an Teach ar maidin. Tá cruinniú aige an tseachtain seo chugainn le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta chun an ábhar a phlé. Tá an-suim aige i gcúrsaí tithíochta. Tá limistéar Gaeltachta ina Dháilcheantar i gContae Mhaigh Eo freisin. Tá an-suim aige san ábhar sin. Tuigim cé chomh tábhachtach is atá sé. Chaith mé tréimhse i m’Aire Stáit agus an Ghaeltacht faoi mo chúram. Tuigim cé chomh tábhachtach is atá na cúrsaí seo. Ar aon nós, beidh an tAire, an Teachta Calleary, ar ais arís an tseachtain seo chugainn.”
“Tá cainteanna ar siúl idir an Roinn tithíochta agus oifigigh na Roinne Gaeltachta maidir le pleanáil i gceantair Ghaeltachta. Tá grúpa oibre bunaithe ag an dá Roinn, mar aon le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta agus údaráis áitiúla, chun an cheist seo a scrúdú. Mar chuid den obair seo, tá an Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta ag dréachtú treoirlínte pleanála Gaeltachta faoi láthair, ag teacht le gealltanas a tugadh sa chlár Rialtais. Ina theannta sin, tá Údarás na Gaeltachta ag fiosrú bealaí faoi láthair chun tacú le soláthar tithíochta sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Cuirtear in iúl dom go bhfuil an t-údarás ag plé leis na páirtithe leasmhara ábhartha ar fad maidir leis an gceist ríthábhachtach seo.”
“Mar is eol don Teachta, tá cúraimí na Gaeltachta agus na Gaeilge ag aistriú chuig an Aire, an Teachta Calleary. Bhí sé le bheith anseo inniu ach ní raibh sé in ann teacht go dtí an Teach inniu mar gheall ar chúrsaí pearsanta. Rinne an Rialtas ordú Dé Máirt chun na feidhmeanna Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta a aistriú chuig an Roinn forbartha poiblí agus Gaeltachta. Tiocfaidh an t-ordú i bhfeidhm ar an 1 Meitheamh. Is é an tAire, an Teachta Calleary, a thabharfaidh freagraí ar cheisteanna Dála a bhaineann leis na réimsí seo as seo amach. Ó thaobh cúrsaí tithíochta de, tuigfidh an Teachta go bhfuil cuspóir uaillmhianach ag an Rialtas seo 300,000 teach a thógáil roimh dheireadh 2030. Rachaidh an cuspóir seo chun tairbhe in gach cearn den tír, an Ghaeltacht san áireamh.”
“This is why I am doing what I am doing. I am going to try to do this as quickly as possible. All Deputies in all parties on both sides of the House would say it would be foolish in the extreme for me not to at least evaluate all of the reports that are available and will be available to the Department before I make a decision. As soon as I can do so I will do it and I will be back to the House. I am sure both Deputies will be forthright in their views once I have made a decision.”
“Both Deputies would agree that the basic thing the Dáil would expect would be to evaluate the existing scheme before I give any commitment one way or the other on a new scheme, a modified scheme or a continuation of a scheme. This work is under way and as soon as I have formulated all of this and gone through all of it, it is my intention to make an announcement fairly soon on the future of the scheme. I hope to be in a position to do this in a matter of weeks.”
“I join the Leas-Cheann Comhairle in welcoming the students from County Mayo to see the Dáil and their people's house in live action. They are very welcome. With regard to Deputy Byrne's questions I covered most of them when answering Deputy Ó Snodaigh but I can go back over them again. It is a priority of ours and it is in the programme for Government to do an evaluation. It was in the manifestoes that we would proceed with it. Obviously we will have budgetary discussions from the summer onwards, in which I will engage with the Ministers, Deputies Chambers and Donohoe, on expenditure and taxation measures in the Department. On top of this we have an evaluation we must conclude.”
“It will have to form part of budgetary discussions in the Department. I have five distinct areas of responsibility - arts, culture, communications, media and sports - and this is a priority for me with regard to the arts element of our budgetary discussions. I look forward to hearing the suggestions of the Opposition and I will engage with spokespersons, including Deputy Ó Snodaigh, off-line and outside of the House on their views on this and how the scheme could be changed, altered and improved.”
“Deputy Ó Snodaigh is right that a number of different things have to be considered. As Deputy Ó Snodaigh has said, these include whether it is the same group, a new group, a wider group, or a smaller group. All of this has to be assessed. The engagement I hope to have with the campaign will also help to inform me on this. Deputy Ó Snodaigh is also right that as two distinct political parties in advance of the election we made commitments on this. I am sure Deputy Ó Snodaigh will acknowledge that this was a very good scheme. It was introduced at a time when people did not expect it or fully understand what it would do but now can see what it has done and the value of it. My basic premise is to get the scheme, a scheme, or a version of the scheme continued. It would be very regressive if we did not have it.”
“It is my commitment to try to make sure we get the best possible outcome for the scheme going forward. It was a pilot but, as the Deputy will appreciate given he is the Chairman of an Oireachtas committee, we have the upcoming budget negotiations with regard to the 26 expenditure ceilings. This is a priority for me and for the Department, and I want to use the opportunity in the Dáil today to make that clear.”
“I am conscious of the concerns that people in the scheme have. I pay tribute to my predecessor in this area, Catherine Martin, who did a huge amount of work to initiate the whole concept. It was born out of a time when the country was bedraggled, with Covid and everything else, but it has proven its worth in terms of the qualitative and quantitative amount of work that can be produced by people who, as I said in the earlier part of the response, are protected from worry about the precarious nature of their finances. There are a number of steps that we have to take. First, there are a number of hurdles that I have to jump. As I said in my earlier response, I will hopefully be in a position shortly to make an announcement with regard to the scheme's future. I know the month of August is not that far away and people want to see certainty.”
“I assure Deputy Ó Snodaigh and the sector that I fully appreciate the importance of basic income support for artists. I know there is broad-based support for the basic income for the arts research project in the House. I will be meeting shortly with the National Campaign for the Arts to hear its views on the scheme in detail. My officials met with the campaign on 25 April. I am acutely aware that the pilot is due to conclude in August and it is my intention to make an announcement on the next steps in the coming weeks.”
“While the research phase of the pilot scheme is still ongoing, it is clear from evidence collected to date under the scheme that it is having a positive impact on participants. Two impact papers have been published to date and are available on the basic income for the arts website on gov.ie . This data shows that the basic income for the arts payment is having a consistent, positive impact across almost all indicators, affecting practice development, sectoral retention, well-being and deprivation. Artists in receipt of the support are typically able to devote more time to their art, produce more pieces of work and experience a boost to their well-being through greater life satisfaction and reduced anxiety, and are protected from the precariousness of incomes in the sector to a greater degree than those who are not receiving the support.”
“The programme for Government commits to assessing the basic income for the arts pilot research scheme to maximise its impact. The basic income for the arts pilot research scheme began with the first baseline survey in October 2022 and will conclude in August 2025. The data from the pilot will feed into Government consideration of the next steps. The Department is currently working on a report examining the first 24 months of the scheme and this report will be available before the end of the pilot. A further qualitative research paper, written by an independent researcher, will be published in the coming weeks. This paper collects the experiences of 50 recipients who have been interviewed by a sociologist. A cost-benefit analysis is also being undertaken at present.”
“You have to wonder what value that kind of tourism is to the locality. Getting people to stop and spend is the most important thing. I had a fair bit of dealing with this in my previous role with responsibility for tourism and OPW and I know Louth and Meath tourism are working hard to get people to stay. In some cases, their proximity to Dublin is a disadvantage. They are within an hour's striking distance on the bus and visitors are back again to have dinner, a few drinks or whatever in Dublin that night. To reverse that is a big challenge. The road improvements made into Louth and Meath mean they become closer which is, in some ways, a disadvantage. They are fortunate to have two good councils working well in the space and I wish them both the best of luck on Sunday.”
“I am just offering an opinion but I wish Louth the best of luck. I wish Meath the best of luck as well but I hope Louth make the breakthrough this year. Louth and Meath County Councils are cheek by jowl with each other and work effectively together. The River Boyne provides an obvious link between the two counties that both are adept at exploiting. There are an awful lot of State assets there. Oldbridge is in County Meath but is essentially a resource for the people of Drogheda and is a massive State resource owned and operated by the Office of Public Works. All the monuments in the Boyne Valley attract tens of thousands of visitors. The most important thing is to get them to spend money. You do not want to put them back onto a bus. It is one thing to get visitors when they are all straight onto a bus to the next place.”
“No doubt I will get an opportunity. The Deputy might send me the details on that and I will have a look at it. I have had many dealings with Louth and Meath tourism. I know they will set aside their collegiality for the Leinster final but it is great to see the Deputy sitting beside a Louth person. Hopefully, Louth will undo the wrong done to them.”
“That is probably the old Pale. Newbridge, Kildare Village, the Japanese Gardens and Glendalough have done it very successfully. The heritage that is in County Meath is nowhere else in the world. There are places in the county older than the pyramids, which are all, thankfully, in the charge of the State under the Office of Public Works. We made significant investments there in my time. There is also the advent of a national park. The potential is enormous; it is just about bringing it together. In fairness to Meath County Council, it is doing very positive work in that space.”
“Such an event generates a huge spin-off for the place it is on, like Adare in County Limerick, for its hinterland and for the entire country. I said to Deputy McCormack that local authorities are the best placed people to know a locality and get people into an area. The advantage County Meath has that counties in the west and south of Ireland do not have is it has an airport on its doorstep through which millions of people transit per year. The marketing plans for that will have to be geared around, in many cases, short-term stays and - the Deputy is right - getting people out of Dublin. Other counties have done it quite successfully. Look at Wicklow and the impact Glendalough has. It is hugely successful. Kildare has the Japanese Gardens in Newbridge. There is a lot of potential for counties around Dublin to use Dublin as a staging post.”
“I entirely agree with the Deputy that the overlap between arts, culture, sport and tourism is enormous. I refer to the impact of Listowel Writers' Week in County Kerry, for example. All festivals, especially the larger ones, have an impact by bringing people to particular areas. The same is true for sporting events. Money is generated in Limerick by Munster Rugby, as it is in Dublin by Leinster Rugby. There is obvious synergy there and we are acutely aware of that and want it to grow. This year, for instance, we have a committed set of international sporting engagements, including an NFL American football game. Government is also supporting the Ryder Cup in Adare in 2027 and there is a number of others that will generate not only people coming in for the weekend of the event but also legacy.”
“Fáilte Ireland will continue to work with the representatives of Slane Castle, which is a key driver of tourism in County Meath, to oversee the implementation of the business plan. Meath is also included in the Keep Discovering campaign 2025, with both TV and print adverts to raise the profile of the county and attract both national and international visitors. The campaign reminds Irish and Northern Irish consumers that while they think they know Ireland, there is always something new to discover and encourages everyone to keep discovering.”
“I am sure the Deputy is also aware of the work that has been carried out at the Knowth and Brú na Bóinne sites. Knowth is a culturally significant site and a partnership between Fáilte Ireland, the National Monuments Service and the Office of Public Works has enhanced the experience for visitors in Knowth, encouraging more people to visit the site and wider County Meath. Fáilte Ireland continues to work with the Slane estate to develop its visitor proposition. The strategy centres around the development of a master plan aligning the estate's key assets, namely, the castle and distillery, and other places in the wider estate property linked to the emerging greenway. The current focus is on developing a three-year business plan with specific short-term actions aligned to the master plan.”
“The original Irish Hallowe'en was a time for feasting, gathering and storytelling as darkness turned to light and the shape-shifting spirits roamed the night. The Púca festival is a vibrant and contemporary three-day festival strongly rooted in tradition with a programme of events centred around spectacle, music and food. The festival received national funding of €1 million from Fáilte Ireland in 2024 to deliver a high-quality cultural festival, contemporary and distinct from Hallowe'en events in other cities, all set against the backdrop of an historically authentic setting. With over 49,000 attendees, the Púca festival has played a significant role in establishing this event as a must-see for tourists from local areas and abroad.”
“The reimagined Boyne Valley drive has the objective of moving the existing Boyne Valley drive up the tourism value chain from a point-to-point journey between some of Ireland's most important and compelling heritage sites to a wider immersive visitor proposition that becomes a 5,000-year journey through time and is a key element of the ancient DEDP. The key achievements in County Meath to date include the continued growth of the world-class Púca festival, which has contributed greatly to an emerging tourism destination. The Púca festival, developed by Fáilte Ireland in partnership with Meath County Council, plays a key role in attracting visitors who support revenue generation and job creation in local communities.”
“Under the strategy, the ancient destination experience development plan, DEDP, which includes Meath, provides a destination-wide tourism development focus, harnessing existing plans and examining new projects to create a world-class destination with "ancient" as the core development theme. A key project in the ancient DEDP for delivery in 2025 is the development of a place-making plan for Kells that will link the various cultural assets within the town as a collective visitor proposition. Examples include the Spire of Lloyd experience, the Kells Type Trail, the round tower and crosses, St. Colmcille’s house and interpretative experiences.”
“In addition, I note that the programme for Government provides that the Government will work with Fáilte Ireland to develop a balanced regional spread of tourism throughout the country, promoting and enhancing the Hidden Heartlands, Ireland's Ancient East, the Wild Atlantic Way and Dublin. County Meath is included in Fáilte Ireland’s Ancient East regional tourism development strategy 2023-27. Ireland's Ancient East is not only internationally renowned for its rich heritage but also for the variety of tracks and trails by which the region can be explored and discovered. Its diverse landscape provides the visitor with a rich tapestry from which to unlock the living culture unique to the place and underpinned by 5,000 years of heritage and tradition evidenced by its many historical sites.”
“I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 111 together. This is the third time I have said the following but I will repeat it for the record. Tourism is now the policy responsibility of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke. Following the making of a Government order on Tuesday, statutory responsibility for the sector will transfer to the Minister, Deputy Burke, from 1 June. He has already had a number of engagements with key tourism stakeholders across a range of priority areas and the Government recognises the central importance of the tourism sector to Ireland's economy.”
“There is a lot going for the county. The best thing to do would be for the Deputy and the other Government representatives from the county to sit down with the Minister, Deputy Burke, and Offaly County Council to see what is the best way forward in terms of engagement with State agencies.”
“The Deputy has made some positive suggestions about areas in his county that he knows intimately. One of the best things to do would be to have direct engagement with the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, perhaps with some of the other Oireachtas Members from County Offaly. The county council has already done much of the preliminary work. As a man from the neighbouring county of Westmeath, I am sure that the Minister, Deputy Burke, is acutely aware of the potential of the Hidden Heartlands brand of Fáilte Ireland. That all came from the successes of the Wild Atlantic Way and the need for a similar brand in the midlands. It has proven to be positive. The Shannon is one of the best assets the county has, and not just because it flows to Limerick. It is an amazing amenity. I have used the boats on the river during holidays.”
“If it continues, there are probably opportunities through the schemes I have already referred to, such as rural regeneration and development funding, which falls under the remit of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Calleary. There are opportunities for State agencies to be the lead agency with responsibility for making applications for that type of funding. I am sure from what I heard when I met representatives of Offaly County Council in the OPW, that it is their intention to use the strategic assets they have around the county, particularly those that are under the auspices of the OPW, to benefit the towns and villages in County Offaly.”
“I will pass on the Deputy's remarks to the Minister, Deputy Burke, who is a neighbour of Deputy McCormack. I do not disagree with much of what the Deputy said. I was previously a Minister of State at the old Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and I also had responsibility for the OPW. I know one of the principal national sites of the OPW is Clonmacnoise. I met Offaly County Council when I had responsibility for the OPW to see what it wanted to do around the strategic use in a sustainable way of Clonmacnoise and how it could be of benefit to the surrounding towns and villages. I would encourage the collaboration between the OPW and Offaly County Council.”
“As the Deputy is aware, greenways are under the remit of the Department of Transport, but I am advised that Offaly County Council is working in partnership with Waterways Ireland and Bord na Móna to support industry and communities to develop amenities and maximise the potential of the assets within the county.”
“Under the just transition fund, Bord na Móna has been awarded €3.6 million towards the creation of up to 79 km of new walking and cycling trails across suitable parts of the Bord na Móna land bank, including the following areas of Offaly: Offaly east between the Grand Canal greenway and Mount Lucas; and Offaly west between Clonmacnoise, Ballynahown and Lough Boora. The Grand Canal greenway, a 70 km cycle and walkway connecting west to east Offaly, was officially launched in October 2024. This greenway offers an opportunity for tourism businesses to optimise their potential and improve the visitor experience and commercial performance in the area.”
“The Slieve Bloom mountain biking trail was officially opened in April 2023 and is part of the international mountain biking project, which received an investment of approximately €13 million through the rural regeneration and development fund. The trail is the most extensive one built to date in Ireland, with more than 80 km of trail riding. It positions Ireland as one of the best international destinations for trail riding. A project is also under way to replace and upgrade pedestrian-cycle signs for Slieve Bloom trailheads in towns. This project has now moved to installation phase, which is due to be completed in 2025.”
“Since its inception in 2018, Ireland's Hidden Heartlands has made a significant impact on the promotion of tourism while showcasing natural assets and local heritage and giving support to the surrounding communities. Fáilte Ireland is also actively working on the ground in Offaly in 2025, meeting with communities across the county to help them understand the opportunities tourism can offer and also to guide them towards relevant Fáilte Ireland supports. Fáilte Ireland is working in alignment with other stakeholders in the county, including Offaly County Council, Offaly Tourism and Offaly Local Development Company.”
“I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 120 together. The Deputy will appreciate that tourism is now the policy responsibility of the Minister, Deputy Burke. Following the making of a Government order yesterday, statutory responsibility for the sector will transfer to the Minister, Deputy Burke, from 1 June. However, I can say that the Government recognises the central importance of the tourism sector to Ireland's economy and communities. County Offaly is included in Fáilte Ireland's Ireland's Hidden Heartlands regional tourism development strategy 2023-27. This roadmap sets out a strategic approach to unlock the commercial potential of the region while ensuring development is sustainable and benefits accrue to local communities and protect our natural environment.”
“It does not deter people but one of the things that local authority members should look at first is their capacity to raise revenue from existing streams rather than levying a new tax on people. Often there is a rush, for instance, to reduce the local property tax, LPT. Some people are totally opposed to the LPT and have a fundamental objection to it but at the same time, they come up with the concept of a tourism tax. The two things do not sit well together, to be honest. The Dublin local authorities have the potential to look at their own internal revenue bases first before a tourism tax is foisted on people.”
“Some arrive into Belfast Airport and drive down, some arrive by ferry and drive down and so on. It is a moot point but it is well made. There is probably scope for a greater level of collaboration between Revenue, CSO, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland. That is something that I will feed back to the Minister, Deputy Burke.”
“There is a lot there. I thank the Deputy for his kind remarks as Gaeilge at the outset. The Deputy will be glad to know that in regard to the tourist tax, I have no role in that. That is a matter for the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, and the Department of Finance. I have personal views on a tourism tax. I do not think that levying a tax on people who are trying to get into the country is a good idea. I could be proven wrong by others but that is a moot point. Regarding the CSO and the Revenue Commissioners, as a former Minister of State in the Department of tourism, I know that it is very important to have accurate data. There are always people who will dispute the numbers and how they are collected, especially for inward tourism. How do people get onto the island?”
“Furthermore, the Minister, Deputy Burke, launched a new business events strategy on 29 April to promote the development of our world-class business events sector and realise the full economic benefits of business events for the island of Ireland.”
“These five-year plans follow a best practice destination stewardship approach, co-created and jointly managed by all key stakeholders in a destination. In terms of ensuring that all regions benefit from overseas tourism, we know ongoing selling points for Ireland are our scenery, culture and history. Tourism Ireland will be launching a new slow tourism campaign in overseas markets in June, focused on helping people get around the regions and explore the island. In terms of the domestic market, Fáilte Ireland is continuing its investment in destination development, capital projects, marketing, and festivals across the country.”
“In addition, the Government will work with Fáilte Ireland to develop a balanced regional spread of tourism throughout the country, promoting and advancing the Hidden Heartlands, Ireland’s Ancient East, the Wild Atlantic Way, and Dublin. The Tourism Policy Framework 2025-2030 was published by the previous Government last November. I understand that the Minister has asked officials to consider how commitments in the new programme for Government align with the policy framework and to prioritise the finalisation of a new tourism policy which reflects the programme and other Government priorities. I would also like to note that Fáilte Ireland has put in place a set of regional tourism strategies out to 2027 which will be implemented by localised destination and experience development plans.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. As I said to Deputy Connolly earlier, this is an issue that is on the way out of our Department. Last Tuesday it was finalised that my colleague, Deputy Peter Burke, will be answerable on tourism. Following the making of a Government order on Tuesday, statutory responsibility for the sector will transfer to the Minister, Deputy Burke, from 1 June. He has already had a number of engagements with key tourism stakeholders across a range of priority areas. The programme for Government sets out a clear commitment to growing Ireland's tourism industry. Through support for Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, we want to showcase Ireland as a high quality and accessible destination for both national and international visitors.”
“Aontaím leis an Teachta. Tuigim cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an t-ábhar seo. Tuigim cé chomh fada is atá muid sa Teach seo ag caint ar an ábhar seo. Maidir leis na ceantair Ghaeltachta, is é sin an polasaí is tábhachtaí do na daoine a bhfuil cónaí orthu sa Ghaeltacht. B’fhéidir go mbeidh an tAire, an Teachta Calleary, in ann teacht ar ais chuig na hurlabhraithe Gaeltachta agus Gaeilge nuair a bheidh sé ar ais an tseachtain seo chugainn, sula dtagann an Bille os comhair na Dála, chun déileáil leis an ábhar sin.”
“Tuigim go soiléir cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an cheist seo. Nuair a bhí me i Roinn na Gaeltachta, bhí an-suim agam san ábhar seo. Tuigim cé chomh tábhachtach is atá sé ní hamháin do na ceantair Ghaeltachta ach freisin do dhaoine lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht a bhfuil suim acu sna hábhair a bhaineann leis na Gaeltachtaí timpeall na tíre. Maidir leis an Roinn, beidh cruinniú ag an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, agus ag an Roinn le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta an tseachtain seo chugainn. Beidh mé in ann, b’fhéidir, iarraidh air teacht ar ais do na hurlabhraithe Gaeltachta agus Gaeilge sa Teach seo nuair a bheidh an cruinniú sin críochnaithe. Cé nach bhfuil an tAire ann faoi láthair, déanfaidh sé a dhícheall an cheist seo a fhreagairt an tseachtain seo chugainn.”
“Mar chuid den obair seo, tá an Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta ag dréachtú treoirlínte pleanála Gaeltachta faoi láthair ag teacht le gealltanas a tugadh sa chlár Rialtais. Ó thaobh na Gaeltachta de, tabharfaidh an Bille um Údarás na Gaeltachta (Leasú), 2024 cumhachtaí nua don údarás talamh a chur ar fáil le haghaidh tithíochta i gceantair Ghaeltachta.”
“Ar an ábhar sin, tá mé an-eolach ar na dúshláin atá ann i gceantair Ghaeltachta tithíocht a chur ar fáil ar phraghas réasúnta do dhaoine áitiúla. Is dúshlán é seo atá níos leithne ná an Ghaeltacht féin ar ndóigh. Tá an Rialtas seo an-ghníomhach sa réimse seo. Cé nach bhfuil sé i gceist ag an Rialtas scéim na ndeontas tithíochta Gaeltachta a reáchtáil arís, tá an Roinn ag obair go dlúth leis an Roinn tithíochta agus le Údarás na Gaeltachta chun tacaíochtaí breise a chur ar fáil do mhuintir na Gaeltachta. Tá cainteanna ar siúl idir an Roinn tithíochta agus oifigigh na Roinne Gaeltachta maidir le pleanáil i gceantair Ghaeltachta. Tá grúpa oibre bunaithe ag an dá Roinn, mar aon le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta agus údaráis áitiúla, chun an cheist seo a scrúdú.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Mar is eol don Teachta, tá cúraimí na Gaeltachta agus na Gaeilge ag aistriú chuig an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, faoi láthair. Bhí sé le bheith anseo inniu ach ní raibh sé in ann teacht go dtí an Teach inniu mar gheall ar chúrsaí pearsanta. Rinne an Rialtas ordú Dé Máirt chun na feidhmeanna Gaeltachta a aistriú go foirmiúil ó mo Roinn chuig an Roinn Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail, a bheidh mar Roinn na Gaeltachta amach anseo. Tiocfaidh an t-ordú i bhfeidhm ar an 1 Meitheamh. Is é an tAire, an Teachta Calleary, a thabharfaidh freagraí ar cheisteanna na Dála as seo amach. Maidir leis an gceist seo, áfach, rinne an Rialtas ordú Dé Máirt feidhmeanna na Gaeilge a aistriú go foirmiúil.”
“Many people often refer to things that are outside the scope of the Department in terms of arts and culture - it might be public realm - or it might be local authority-related matters - but there is no reason that our role cannot be used as a conduit for information to flow to the relevant agency in that matter.”
“I thank the Deputy for his positive remarks. Any suggestions that will be made on this will be welcome. As I said a while ago, once I have had a chance to meet all the relevant stakeholders and also had the chance to review the documentation that is going to be submitted to the Department when it is done, I will have no problem in engaging with Opposition spokespersons on their suggestions. We are going to be heading fast into the budgetary cycle when we are going to be preparing for the Estimates for next year. I would like to hear the practical ideas of how people feel that town centres and city centres can be improved both from a cultural and social point of view but also in terms of practical measures the Department can help with and with which local authorities can also help.”
“This year, following a tendering process, we appointed Communiqué International to undertake an independent review of the night-time economy pilots to advise on possible options for the future of the initiative. The review will also critically examine the structures involved in supporting the advisers, the funding levels, the visibility of each in their respective areas and their impact on the economy in the local area. I expect the report from that review in the coming weeks and I look forward to the findings of the review. I will also shortly meet the national implementation group for the night-time economy to hear at first-hand from stakeholders across government and others about their priorities and how best we can continue to work together to improve the quality of night-time activity across Ireland.”