Speech for Mr. Jack Chambers T.D. Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs and Sport 2021 Budget

Go raibh maith agat, a Aire.

A Cheann Comhairle agus a Theachtaí,

I greatly welcome the opportunity to address the chamber in relation to the 2021 Budget Estimates as they pertain to my areas of responsibility in relation to Gaeltacht Affairs and Sport.

Le seachtain anuas, thug an Rialtas seo faoi dhá mhór-ghníomh ar mhaithe leis an Ghaeilge agus an Ghaeltacht a chur chun cinn - an chéad tuairisc ar dhul chun cinn an Phlean Gníomhaíochta don Ghaeilge a fhoilsiú agus Bille na dTeangacha Oifigiúla a thabhairt tríd an Dara Céim sa Dáil. Inné, fógraíodh mór-ghníomh eile don teanga - an fógra sa Cháináisnéis go bhfuil méadú de fiche trí fán gcéad le teacht ar bhuiséad na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta i 2021. Is léir uaidh seo uile go bhfuil an Rialtas seo tiománta don teanga a chur chun cinn ar bhonn uile-oileánda agus sa Ghaeltacht, ach go háirithe.

Leis an gcistíocht bhreise seo de cheathar déag ponc a sé mhilliúin Euro, beidh mo Roinn fhéin, Foras na Gaeilge agus Údarás na Gaeltachta in ann níos mó airgid a dháileadh ar ghrúpaí pobail ar fud an oileáin a bhfuil obair den scoth ar bun acu ar son na teanga.

• Cuirfear €4.5m breise in airgead caipitil ar fáil d’Údarás na Gaeltachta, chun fostaíochta a chruthú agus chun cliaint-chomhlachtaí an Údaráis a chosaint ón mBreatimeacht agus ón bpaimdéim;

• Cuirfear beagnach €3m eile isteach i mbuiséad riaracháin an Údaráis. Saoróidh sé seo suas airgead a ghinneann an tÚdarás óna chuid acmhainní fhéin le caitheamh ar obair fhorbartha pobail agus teanga agus ar chothabháil maoine, rud atá éilithe ag an eagraíocht le blianta beaga anuas.

• Cuirfear allúntas breise de €700,000 ar fáil don Údarás le cur i dtreo obair na gcomharchumann Ghaeltachta agus forbairt óige sa Ghaeltachta.

• Cuirfear beagnach €2.4m breise isteach i Scéimeanna Tacaíochta Gaeilge na Roinne.

• Cuirfear beagnach €1.8m breise isteach i gcomhoibriú thuaidh-theas a thabharfaidh an céad ardú san allúntas d’Fhoras na Gaeilge ó 2016; agus,

• Cuirfear €1.3m breise ar fáil don phróiseas pleanála teanga chun tacú leis na pobail éagsúla taobh istigh agus taobh amuigh den Gaeltacht a gcuid pleananna a chur i bhfeidhm.

• Is fiú a nótáil chomh maith go mbeidh €3.5m breise ó allúntas na Roinne do na Meáin ag dul go TG4, rud a chuirfidh go mór le cur i bhfeidhm ghealltanais atá sonraithe sa Straitéis 20-Bliain don Ghaeilge.

Anuas air seo uile, beidh client-chomhlachtaí de chuid Údarás na Gaeltachta agus comhlachtaí Gaeltachta i gcoitinne in ann tairbhe a bhaint as bearta náisiúnta eile atá fógtha sa mBuiséad inniu. San áireamh anseo, tá an Ciste Tacaíochta um Shrianta COVID, an laghdú ar an ráta Cháin Bhreis Luacha go 9%go deireadh nab liana seo chugainn agus an tsíneadh ar an tarscaoileadh ó rátaí ghnó go deireadh na bliana seo.

I am delighted to announce a 2021 provision of €170.4m for Sports and Recreational services including an extra €36m in current and capital funding for Sport Ireland. Within this, the 2021 provision will allow for a new round of the Sports Capital Programme to open for applications shortly with allocations to be made next year. In addition, resources have been provided in 2021 to progress the first projects allocated funding earlier this year under the new Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund.

Current funding support for Sport Ireland programmes has been increased by €26.25 million which will enable Sport Ireland to continue to ensure our athletes are supported to achieve their potential at the postponed Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, to increase core grant funding for our sporting bodies to sustain them through the challenging months to come and to fund Sport Ireland participation programmes including the innovative online resources which have proved so successful this year. The capital funding will facilitate a number of developments on the National Sports Campus including at the National Aquatic Centre.

This is a very considerable investment in sport and builds on the extensive support package provided to address the Covid challenges to NGBs and clubs in 2020. The funding will sporting bodies to sustain themselves through the challenging months to come. I know clubs across the country will be looking forward to a new Sports capital programme which will open in near future and the increase in Dormant Accounts funding will promote and sustain participation in sport and physical activity, particularly in hard to reach communities.

Tá na pobail Spóirt agus Ghaeltachta i measc na n-earnálacha is mó buailte ag COVID-19. Tá mé muiníneach go gcuirfidh na bearta agus na tionscnaimh a fógraíodh inné ar chumas na n-earnálacha seo teacht ar ais chucu féin go sciobtha ó thionchair na paindéime agus go gcuirfear ar a gcumas fás agus forbairt a dhéanamh in 2021.

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