Hear, hear.
Sentiment score: 0.00
16. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the role his Department will play in amending and finalising the recently published draft national planning statement for rural and Gaeltacht housing. [53184/26]
Sentiment score: 0.11
I put this question in English but tá roinnt de a bhaineann le cúrsaí Gaeltachta. Is féidir an dá theanga a úsáid, má tá an tAire sásta leis sin. It is about the role the Minister’s Department will play in amending and finalising the recently published draft national planning statement for rural and Gaeltacht housing. I know this has been discussed several times here this evening and the Minister and I have discussed it as well. This is a document that relates to the core mission of the Minister’s Department so I want to know precisely what role his Department will play in those aspects.
Sentiment score: 0.11
When the document was published last week, we were all taken aback. Commentators, Opposition politicians and campaign groups and people working in the space were disappointed both on the rural housing piece and that of Gaeltacht housing. Not only was it underwhelming and the cúrsaí Gaeltachta deeply disappointing but it looked like something that had been utterly rushed and that had been put together very quickly without a lot of thought. It has taken very little from the consultation, submissions and recommendations of various Oireachtas committees and discussions here in this House. I feel it was a rushed job by the Department of housing - the Minister may disagree; he may not be at liberty to agree with me publicly – which did not take into account the good work and fair policies the Minister’s Department has been promulgating over the past while. On rural housing, as part of our analysis we spoke to analysts, engineers, architects, planners, merchants, builders and auctioneers and they do not see this would dramatically increase the delivery of housing and they do not think this would lead to a liberalisation of policy. They just do not see that happening. That leaves many communities in the lurch and facing the demographic crises that have been mentioned in this House already this evening.
Sentiment score: 0.05
I dtaobh chúrsaí Gaeltachta, ní aontaím leis an Aire in aon chor go bhfuil dearcadh nó aighneachtaí na ndreamanna éagsúla atá ag obair sa spás seo iniata leis an gcáipéis seo. Is léir go ndearna an Roinn agus an bheirt Airí sa Roinn tithíochta neamhaird air sin. Iarrfaidh mé ar an Aire féachaint air seo, gur úsáideadh staitisticí ó dhaonáireamh 2016 sa cháipéis chun an argóint seo a chruthú mar gheall ar líon na gcainteoirí Gaelainne in ionad na staitisticí is déanaí. Molaim don Aire féachaint siar air. Dá mba rud é go raibh siad ag éisteacht leis an Aire nó lena Roinn, ní dóigh liom go dtarlódh a leithéid de rud. Tá an-chuid fadhbanna. Bhí cruinniú agam in Indreabhán i gConamara oíche aréir. Tá daoine an-fheargach mar gheall air seo. Ní fhéadfainn a rá go bhfuil sé mar gheall ar cúpla sonra a athrú anseo agus ansiúd. Tá daoine feargach mar gheall air seo. An rud a bhí ag eascairt as seo ná nach bhfuil sé chun cabhrú le daoine as na ceantair sin atá ag iarraidh maireachtáil sa Ghaeltacht agus clann a thógáil trí mheán na Gaelainne tithe a thógaint. Ní fheictear go bhfuil sé sin ann. Molaim don Aire comhairliúchán poiblí a dhéanamh - ceann gairid ach an comhairliúchán sin a dhéanamh agus brú a chur ar an Aire tithíochta a leithéid a dhéanamh mar níl sé maith go leor a chluasa a dhúnadh agus gan éisteacht a thabhairt don phobal.
Sentiment score: -0.17
Glacaim leis sin.
Sentiment score: -0.56
Tá muid an-ghnóthach, an triúr againn. Leanfaimid ar aghaidh pé scéal é.
Sentiment score: 0.00
19. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he plans to substantially increase funding for the CLÁR programme in light of the recent expansion of the scheme’s eligibility. [53185/26]
Sentiment score: 0.13
This relates to the CLÁR programme in light of the recent expansion of the scheme's eligibility. I really welcome the expansion of the CLÁR scheme. It is something that I think all of us representing rural areas and, indeed, many councillors from all parties and none have been seeking for a long time. It is something about which, as the Minister probably knows, I have put in several written questions over recent weeks. I am talking here about not just an increase in funding to keep pace with inflation but a substantial increase to take into account of the increased number of areas covered.
Sentiment score: 0.25
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as sin. On the ground, in rural areas, particularly those deprived rural areas, we see the advantage of CLÁR. It is relatively small money. There are small amounts that are provided, but that money goes really far in these areas and it is very much appreciated. It is possibly not transformative but it really helps to keep those communities' heads above the water. We have spoken here about the challenges communities are facing in terms of housing and demographics. The last time the three of us were in this Chamber discussing these matters, we were talking about isolation and loneliness. There are so many challenges. We could talk about rural policing. We could talk about access to public services. There are so many issues facing rural areas, particularly those more isolated and less well-off rural areas, and the CLÁR funding is really valuable. I encourage the Minister to do what he can to make that argument in his budgetary discussions this year.
Sentiment score: 0.03
I wish the Minister luck in those negotiations and discussions ahead of budget 2027. Those of us who represent CLÁR areas and rural areas will be watching. The addition of those townlands - Glenwilliam, Tallow, Lismore and other areas the Minister mentioned - is really welcome and will facilitate groups on the ground there accessing funding. Not every area, unfortunately, can be included in CLÁR funding, but that is something we might revisit and have a discussion about at some stage. I know a threshold or a line has to be drawn somewhere, but I note that in the Comeragh area of County Waterford - the Portlaw-Kilmacthomas local electoral area - there were no new areas designated for CLÁR funding. That could be a blessing in disguise in some ways because the metric is not there to qualify but, on the other hand, it means that those community groups that are facing some of the same challenges do not qualify. It is something that maybe we can come back to and have a look at some time in the future and maybe keep that expansion going, maybe not year on year but over time, in order that more and more areas would begin to qualify.
Sentiment score: 0.24
Beidh an Aire agus an Aire Stáit bréan dom ag an tráth seo. Baineann an cheist seo le toghchán do bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta. Mar is eol don Aire, bhí an-chuid plé againn sa Seomra Dála seo mar gheall ar Bhille Údarás na Gaeltachta agus na toghcháin. Cé nach rabhamar ag aontú lena chéile ró-mhinic, glacaim anois go bhfuil an Bille rite agus go mbeidh toghcháin ag Údarás na Gaeltachta. Cad é an plean? Cathain a mbeidh siad? An féidir aon léargas a thabhairt ar cén cur chuige a bheadh i gceist?
Sentiment score: 0.00
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Tuigim go bhfuil leasuithe le déanamh ar na hAchtanna sin a luaigh sé, is iad sin an Acht Toghcháin, 1992; an Acht Toghcháin, 1997; agus na hAchtanna eile maidir le bruscair, truailliú agus cosaint sonraí. An bhfuil amlíne i gceist i gcomhair na leasuithe nó an bhfuil sé sin le baint amach i mbliana? An bhfuil buile faoi thuairim ann i dtaobh amlíne do na toghcháin? An bhfuil muid ag caint ar iad a bheith ar siúl roimh dheireadh na bliana seo nó i samhradh na bliana seo chugainn? An mbeidh sé faoin Roinn tithíochta na toghcháin sin a rith nó an mbeidh siad á rith i Roinn an Aire féin?
Sentiment score: -0.32
Nach suimiúil é sin mar fhíric go raibh baint ag an Uachtarán sa Bhille seo. Níor glacadh leis na leasuithe faraor ach chuir sí leasuithe isteach ar thaobh amháin agus shínigh sí an Bille ag an deireadh. Impím ar an Aire gan tuilleadh moille a chur leis an bpróiseas seo, agus pé rud gur féidir a dhéanamh chun tacú leis na toghcháin seo a dhéanamh. Tá muintir na Gaeltachta agus na pobail Ghaeltachta ag fanacht le fada an lá i gcomhair na toghcháin seo teacht thar n-ais. Mar a dúramar ar an dtaobh seo den Teach le linn na ndíospóireachtaí ar Bhille Údarás na Gaeltachta, tá géarghá le tuilleadh daonlathais istigh san údarás. Cé nach bhfuil an Bille, inár dtuairim, foirfe i dtaobh an méid daonlathais - bhíomar ag súil le níos mó - táimid ag iarraidh an Acht mar atá sé a bhaint amach chomh tapa agus is féidir ionas gur féidir leis na pobail seilbh a ghlacadh arís ar threoir Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Sentiment score: -0.09