Westmeath Community Development

Dept. Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs 

Statement from Minister Ó Cuív and Minister of State Curran Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, 

Budget 2009 

The revised 2009 net allocation for the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs at €443.7m shows a reduction of  €47.4m on the initial estimated allocation announced in October 2008.  

€11.8m of the reduction relates to capital expenditure.  This includes a transfer of €2.5m to the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs relating to the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund.  The balance reflects adjustments in capital expenditure made in the package of measures announced by the Minister of Finance at end-January 2009.  In relation to current expenditure, there is a reduction of €35.6m, which includes a transfer of €17.4m to the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs for the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund and a transfer of €2m to the Department of Arts, Sports and Tourism from Ciste na Gaeilge (the Irish Language Fund) in relation to the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Regional Development Programme.  The balance is made up of savings mainly achieved by the reduction of administration costs for the Department, State agencies within its ambit, and community and voluntary organisations. 

Because of the large number of applications on hand and the level of prior commitments under the Gaeltacht Housing Scheme, the Department is suspending the scheme from 7 April 2009 until further notice.  Further steps to secure savings include the suspension (also from 7 April 2009) of the Scheme for Community Support of Older People and the suspension (since end-February 2009) of the Once-off Grants for Locally-Based Community Groups. 

All valid applications on hand under these schemes will continue to be processed and approved in the normal way subject to available resources. 

The 2009 Revised Estimates will be published after Easter.