Míshástacht agus imní Bhord an Údaráis faoi mhaoiniú 2011.
Ag cruinniú de Bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta inniu (10ú Nollaig) sna Forbacha, léirigh Bord an Údaráis míshástacht an-mhór agus imní faoi mhaoiniú na heagraíochta don bhliain 2011 agus don todhchaí. I gcomparáid le EUR15m caipitil a bhí ar fáil ón Státchiste in 2010, ní bheidh ach EUR6m ar fáil in 2011. Tá EUR6.2m eile le cur ar fáil ó fhoinsí na heagraíochta féin ar a n-áirítear sprioc de EUR2m ó dhíolachán sócmhainní tráth a bhfuil an tóin tite as margadh na maoine. Creideann an tÚdarás go bhfuil feidhm fiontair an Údaráis á lagú de réir a chéile tráth a bhfuil sé á chruthú ag an fhoireann go bhfuil siad in ann torthaí fiúntacha a sholáthar don Státchiste agus don Ghaeltacht fiú san aeráid mharbhánta eacnamaíochta atá ann faoi láthair. Ag cruinniú an Bhoird inniu ceadaíodh 55 togra a bhfuil EUR2.9m de chúnamh stáit i gceist iontu a chuirfidh 193 post nua ar fáil nuair a bheidh siad faoi lánseol. Ainneoin an ról lárnach atá ceaptha a bheith ag Údarás na Gaeltachta sa Ghaeltacht agus taobh amuigh di de réir na Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge, is léir don Údarás go bhfuil an bonn á bhaint ó fheidhm fiontair na heagraíochta nuair a chaithfidh sé an sprioc fhostaíochta a laghdú ó 600 in 2010 go dtí 300 in 2011 tráth a bhfuil gá níos mó ná riamh le fostaíocht. Chinn Bord an Údaráis a iarraidh ar gach eagraíocht Ghaeltachta agus Ghaeilge ceist bheo a dhéanamh de thodhchaí an Údaráis i gcomhar le comhaltaí an Údaráis le hionadaithe poiblí, san olltoghchán atá le bheith ann go luath in 2011 san áireamh.
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The Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta express dissatisfaction and concern regarding budget allocated for 2011
At an Údarás na Gaeltachta Board meeting in Na Forbacha, Co. Galway today (10th December), members of the Board expressed great dissatisfaction and concern about the organisation's finances for the year 2011 and for the future. In comparison to the EUR15m capital budget made available by the Exchequer in 2010, only EUR6m will be provided in 2011. A further EUR6.2m is to be funded from the organisation's own resources, which includes a target income of EUR2m from the sale of assets at a time when the property market has effectively collapsed. An tÚdarás believes that its enterprise role is gradually being eroded at a time when its staff is continuing to prove the organisation's ability to deliver satisfactory job-creation results for the Exchequer and the Gaeltacht despite the present difficult economic climate.
At the Údarás Board meeting today, 55 projects involving a total of EUR2.9m in state funding were approved, which will lead to the creation of 193 new jobs when fully implemented. Despite the central role that Údarás na Gaeltachta is expected to have in the implementation of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language both in the Gaeltacht and nationally, an tÚdarás believes that the organisation's enterprise functions are being undermined when its reduced funding leaves it with no option but to decrease its employment creation target from 600 jobs in 2010 to 300 jobs in 2011 at a time when employment creation is critical. The Board of an tÚdarás has appealed to all Gaeltacht and Irish language organisations to support its board members in highlighting the issue of the future of the organisation with public representatives, including during the upcoming general election campaign due early 2011.