Written Answers Nos. 393-396
393. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the position regarding the total annual expenditure on promoting the Irish language, by year, since 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36768/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraExpenditure by my Department on the promotion of the Irish language for the years 2022 and 2023 is included in the Appropriation Accounts for the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media published by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General in respect of each of those years and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. Estimates of expenditure in respect of the years 2024 and 2025 are included in the Revised Estimates Volumes in respect of those years which have been published by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitisation and also laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas.
The Deputy should be aware that expenditure by my Department on the promotion of the Irish language represents just one element of total government expenditure on the language and that a number of other Departments and agencies, including the Department of Education, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport make significant annual investment in this regard, details of which are also laid before both Houses annually.
394. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the number of town centre first plans passed by local authorities, in tabular form. [36913/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraLaunched in 2022, the Town Centre First (TCF) Policy is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. TCF supports the Our Rural Future vision for a thriving rural Ireland by setting out a framework to facilitate and resource the regeneration of Irish towns to ensure they are vibrant, viable places to live, work, invest in, and visit.
In December 2021, funding of €2.6 million was announced to support the development of TCF Town Plans nationally in 26 pilot towns. These community-based plans are produced by individual Town Teams, drawn from local community and business representatives, and are helping communities develop a vision for their town and identify viable projects to realise that vision. This first phase of TCF plans are complete, have moved onto the project delivery phase and can be accessed on the Town Centre First website at this address: towncentrefirst.ie/
In February 2024, a new dedicated TCF suite of supports was launched with €4.5 million allocated through three funding streams. This includes an allocation of €30,000 each for the development of a further 26 TCF plans for a new suite of towns. These projects are ongoing and are expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Further details of the towns and projects awarded funding under these measures can be found on: www.gov.ie/en/publication/473d3-town-centre-first-policy/
The table below sets out the towns which have received support to develop Town Centre First Plans as requested. It should be noted that a range of funding streams across Government also support the implementation of the TCF approach across the country, for example the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund.
|
County |
TCF Town Plans - Phase 1 2021 |
TCF Suite of Supports 2024 - Town Plans Phase 2 |
|
Carlow |
Tullow |
Bagenalstown |
|
Cavan |
Baileborough |
Killeshandra |
|
Clare |
Sixmilebridge |
Kilrush |
|
Cork |
Skibereen |
Kanturk |
|
Donegal |
Milford |
Glenties |
|
Fingal |
Lusk |
Rush |
|
Galway |
Gort |
Athenry |
|
Kerry |
Milltown |
Kenmare |
|
Kildare |
Clane |
Castledermot |
|
Kilkenny |
Urlingford |
Graigeunamanagh |
|
Laois |
Rathdowney |
Mountmellick |
|
Leitrim |
Carrick-On-Shannon |
Manorhamilton |
|
Limerick |
Abbeyfeale |
Rathkeale |
|
Longford |
Longford Town |
Ballymahon |
|
Louth |
Dunleer |
Clogherhead |
|
Mayo |
Killala |
Ballyhaunis |
|
Meath |
Enfield |
Dunshaughlin |
|
Monaghan |
Carrickmacross |
Ballybay |
|
Offaly |
Clara |
Ferbane |
|
Roscommon |
Strokestown |
Castlerea |
|
Sligo |
Tubbercurry |
Ballymote |
|
Tipperary |
Roscrea |
Carrick-On-Suir |
|
Waterford |
Portlaw |
Dunmore East |
|
Westmeath |
Moate |
Castlepollard |
|
Wexford |
New Ross |
Courtown/Riverchapel |
|
Wicklow |
Blessington |
Newtownmountkennedy |
395. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the current status of the dormant accounts funding; the amount spent on this in the past five years, with a breakdown of expenditure for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36771/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra396. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the current breakdown of expenditure of the dormant accounts funding; an estimate of expenditure under this vehicle over the lifetime of this Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36772/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 395 and 396 together.
The main purpose of the Dormant Accounts Acts is to reunite account holders with their funds. Unclaimed funds are transferred to the Dormant Accounts Fund, which is managed by the National Treasury Management Agency. The beneficial owner has a right to reclaim their money at any time.
Legislation governing Dormant Accounts established an administrative framework within which Departments could apply for funding from the Dormant Accounts Fund. The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht holds responsibility for this function.
The total expenditure under the Fund for the last five years was €297 million. Regarding the current status of funding, at the end of 2024 there was €217 million in the Dormant Accounts Fund, with €126 million of that held in reserve for those reclaiming their funds. This leaves €91 million available for disbursement. This will be supplemented by inflows during 2025, the level of which depends on the number of accounts becoming dormant.
The Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plan 2025 outlines expenditure of €44.8 million to fund 51 measures across 10 Government Departments. The programmes and projects in the Action Plan target social, economic and educational disadvantage, and people with a disability - in line with the objectives detailed in the legislation.
It is envisaged that, to sustain the Fund, expenditure will need to be gradually reduced to €40 million per year going forward. These decisions, however, will be based on the actual level of inflows each year. The 2026 Action Plan will be published in November 2025 and it is estimated that it will total closer to €43 million.
Expenditure of Dormant Accounts funds from 2025 to 2029 is estimated to be around €209 million if current trends continue with similar flows into and out of the fund. Outlined in the following table is estimated expenditure up to 2029 and also actual expenditure for the previous five years.
Further information on the Dormant Accounts Fund, including all published Action Plans and Annual Reports, and the current Disbursement Scheme for 2023-2025 is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/769773-dormant-accounts-fund-annual-action-plans-and-reports/
|
Dormant Account Fund spend per year |
||
|
Years |
Spend |
Estimate spend for future years |
|
2020 |
€93,471,919 |
|
|
2021 |
€51,821,166 |
|
|
2022 |
€54,581,676 |
|
|
2023 |
€52,227,052 |
|
|
2024 |
€44,870,505 |
|
|
2025 |
(Allocated) €44,782,613 |
|
|
2026 |
€43,000,000 |
|
|
2027 |
€41,000,000 |
|
|
2028 |
€40,000,000 |
|
|
2029 |
€40,000,000 |
|
