UDARAS TO HOLD ON TO EMPLOYMENT CREATION BRIEF

Date Published: 03-Jun-2011

Údarás na Gaeltachta is to hold on to its employment creation brief.

There had been speculation earlier that its jobs remit would be moved to the Department of Enterprise some time next year.

This followed a meeting held about the future of Udaras this morning.

In a statement this evening Údarás welcomed the decision to develop a new mechanism which will formalise existing co-operations between the Údarás and other enterprise development agencies to attract investment and creating employment in the Gaeltacht.

While Udaras itself has welcomed some aspects of today’s announcement Irish language promotion body Conradh na Gaeilge says many questions remain unanswered about the future of the development authority.

Peadar Mac Fhlannchadha, National Organiser for Conradh na Gaeilge says they seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister of State Dinny McGinley.

One of the major changes announced is that the board of Udaras na Gaeltachta is to be scrapped in its current form with members to be directly elected by the Gaeltacht Minister.

Former Gaeltacht Minister and Galway West TD Eamon O’Cuiv says the scrapping of the board is undemocratic.