Tairgim: "Go léifear an Bille an Dara hUair anois." Cuirim fáilte roimh mo chuid oifigigh atá tagtha anseo ó Chonamara inniu. Tá lúcháir mhór orm, mar an tAire Stáit na Gaeltachta, a bheith anseo inniu. Cuirim fáilte mhór roimh an deis seo labhairt sa Dáil agus an Bille um Údarás na Gaeltachta (Leasú), 2024 a chur os comhair an Tí. Táim cinnte go mbeidh plé stuama agus tairbheach againn faoin reachtaíocht seo. I dtús báire, is dóigh gur fiú léargas gairid a thabhairt ar ról agus ar thábhacht Údarás na Gaeltachta ma…

Táim ag smaoineamh ar na hiarrthóirí a bheidh ag iarraidh dul san iomaíocht. Leanfaidh mé ar aghaidh. Beidh gach duine den triúr comhalta tofa den údarás do réigiún an deiscirt ar choiste an réigiúin sin, mar aon le comhalta amháin ó Chomhairle Contae Chiarraí, comhalta amháin ó Chomhairle Contae Chorcaí agus comhalta amháin ó Chomhairle Cathrach agus Contae Phort Láirge, arís ar comhaltaí iad go léir ar gá gur toghadh iad chun an údaráis áitiúil i dtoghlimistéar ina bhfuil ceantar Gaeltachta. I gcás nach mbeidh ao…

Chuaigh an cheist sin thar mo cheann.

Why does the Deputy not work with some of the community groups to apply for grants?

An é seo an Roinn nó an tOireachtas?

Tá an Teachta ag caint faoin Oireachtas.

Sin ceann de na baill.

Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil le gach duine a bhí páirteach sa díospóireacht. Tá mé buíoch do na Teachtaí uilig a tháinig isteach agus a phlé an Bille agus a thug tuairimí dom maidir leis. Tá brón orm go raibh deifir an tseachtain seo, ach bhí deifir toisc go raibh mé ag iarraidh go mbeadh an Bille os comhair na Dála. Mo bhuíochas leo siúd ar fhreastail ar an briefing a bhí ar siúl ar an Luan. Ní raibh a fhios agam nach raibh leagan Gaeilge den briefing note. Tá mé chun ceisteanna a chur maidir leis sin. B…

Tairgim: Go gcuirfear an Bille faoi bhráid Roghchoiste na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta agus Phobal Labhartha na Gaeilge de réir Bhuan-Orduithe 95 agus 181.

Táim.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Ó Cuív. Bhí mé ag éisteacht go géar leis an méid a bhí a rá aige. Caithfidh mé a rá, i dtosach báire, agus tá a fhios ag an saol é seo, go bhfuil an fhreagracht maidir le soláthair lóistín d’iarrthóir ar chosaint idirnáisiúnta agus do theifigh ag an Roinn eile, is í sin, an Roinn Leanaí, Comhionannais, Míchumais, Lánpháirtíochta agus Óige. Mar is eol do chách, níl aon ról agam ina leith. Sa chomhthéacs sin agus i gcomhthéacs na Gaeltachta, bhí plé teoranta ag oifigigh mo Roinne lena…

Tuigim nach bhfuil an Teachta Ó Cuív ag piocadh amach na dteifeach agus a rá go bhfuil an milleán orthu. Tá sé ag rá go bhfuil rudaí eile i gceist. Bíonn sé i gcónaí ag caint faoi chúrsaí thithíochta sna Gaeltachtaí agus na heastáit tithíochta agus na srianta atá orthu toisc ceisteanna teanga. Tá na ceisteanna sin in áiteanna eile ar nós Ráth Chairn agus An Rinn. Glacaim leis go bhfuil an Teachta Ó Cuív mar seo agus go bhfuil sé ag iarraidh an rud is fearr a dhéanamh don Ghaeilge, do phobal na Gaeltachta agus do na…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir Lombard agus na Seanadóirí uilig as ucht an deis seo a thabhairt dom labhairt le Seanadóirí faoin straitéis snámha náisiúnta. As was said, swimming is our second most popular participation sport and has the potential to be truly inclusive for all in society. It engages the young and old alike, allows for full participation, including those with physical, mental or sensory considerations, and provides options for diverse communities and minority groups to participate. The National …

It is not published yet. It was approved yesterday.

When I was appointed Minister of State for sport, I was deeply conscious of the number of actions that needed to be done as part of the programme for Government. This is one very important action. I have made sure that it has happened. These things take time but it has to happen. Swimming pools also take time to build. When I arrived at the Department, I saw a budget line of €3 million for a swimming pool fund. It may have been more. That budget was granted nearly 20 years ago. It has not been done for various reas…

I welcome the opportunity to respond to some of the issues raised in the debate on the motion put forward by the Rural Independent Group. Deputies expressed the view that the 9% VAT rate should be brought back and made permanent for the tourism and hospitality sector. The Deputies proposing the motion also asked that VAT rates be varied across the country such that areas outside Dublin would have a lower rate. As my colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, outlined, it is not possible to have different VAT…

The Senator raises a very important issue. I am happy to provide an update to him. The Funding the Future framework, published in May 2022, outlines the Government's vision for how higher education will be funded and how this will support students, employers and wider society. At the core of this approach is the maintenance of a dual focus on increasing recurrent funding for our third level institutions to enable enhanced quality of provision while also addressing the costs of education for students and their famil…

Funding the Future outlines an ambitious programme of reform, centred on improving quality, driving skills and engagement, enhancing student participation and creating a more unified third level system. The measures taken over the last two budgets represent the Government’s response to Funding the Future. They signal the policy intention to improve the standing of our higher education system and to progressively bring our funding and staffing levels up. This investment will provide funding to strengthen capacity to…

I thank the Senator for raising this issue as it gives me a chance to provide an update to the House on the current position on the recently announced closure of Newpark Academy of Music. Newpark Academy of Music is a separate entity and simply does not come within the remit of the Department of Education. It has operated from Melfield House, a 200-year-old building on the grounds of Newpark Comprehensive School in Blackrock. The building has hosted the academy since 1979. Whilst the academy used the building on th…

I fully understand and appreciate the concerns the Senator raised. That said, the decision to close the academy was not made by the Department of Education. The academy is not in any way under the remit of the Department of Education. The role of the Department of Education is to support, fund and deliver primary and post-primary education in the State. This is the update as far as the Department of Education is concerned. As I understand it, the Department has no further information with regard to this situation.